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Fire department recommends three vendors for medical supplies; council seeks clarity on rescue billing
Summary
The fire department recommended awarding a one‑year medical supplies bid to three low bidders with a $157,500 not‑to‑exceed cap and answered council questions about how rescue billing and insurance reimbursement relate to supply costs.
Fire Department staff reviewed bid 2027038A and recommended awarding medical supplies and medications to three vendors—Bound Tree Medical, Henry Schein and Life Assist Inc.—under a one‑year contract effective July 21, 2026 through July 20, 2027, with a not‑to‑exceed amount of $157,500.
Council members asked whether the city bills insurance companies or mutual‑aid partners for supplies used on rescue calls. Fire staff explained that rescue billing is a flat fee set by city ordinance; most disposable supplies are not billed per item to insurers the way hospitals bill, though higher‑level procedures and medications can be billed separately. The department tracks usage and orders but said the rescue billing formula is set in ordinance and not by the department.
Committee members pressed for clearer accounting of taxpayer cost versus reimbursement; the fire representative said staff would follow up to explain how rescue billing rates are set (an average of regional billing rates is used) and to provide more information on tracking reimbursement versus expense.
The committee advanced the procurement recommendation as part of the bids consent docket.
