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County updates EMS study after Oshkosh rate changes; consultant pivots to forecasting county role
Summary
County staff said an EMS study commissioned after Oshkosh raised service rates pivoted when towns formed a southern EMS district or contracted outside providers; Matrix Consulting Group completed interviews and site visits and will deliver recommendations on county roles, future capacity and mutual aid scenarios.
County staff briefed the board on an EMS study that began after the City of Oshkosh increased rates for towns it served, prompting local towns to explore alternatives and create a new southern Winnebago County EMS district.
The executive's office recounted the timeline: an RFP and bids came back higher than expected; personnel and finance approved a budget amendment to cover the RFP; a consultant (Matrix Consulting Group) was retained and completed on-site interviews, and the county revised the scope to forecast future needs and the county's potential role. Several towns either formed a district or entered third-party contracts during the process, reducing the immediate scope of the county's direct service needs.
The consultant interviewed county staff, local EMS providers and Aurora's medical director and has received 911 dispatch data to support modelling. Staff said they expect recommendations about future county responsibilities and how to position the county for recurring cost pressures such as labor shortages and rising provider rates.
Supervisors asked about likely per-capita rates for towns, mutual aid arrangements, and timing for SCAP-analogous reimbursements. Staff responded a few towns secured deals with Oshkosh (one cited roughly $43 per capita), mutual aid agreements exist with multiple providers, and the SCAP reimbursement process typically takes months (data collected in spring, submitted in fall, funds received by year-end). No formal county action occurred; the board was asked to await the consultant's final recommendations.
