Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the EMS And Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Levy County approves $369,110 in ambulance write‑offs and hears paramedicine update
Summary
The Board approved ambulance billing write‑offs totaling $369,110.03 and heard a presentation on community paramedicine, which officials say is grant‑funded (primarily opioid‑settlement/grant funds) and has enrolled about 120 residents so far with early reductions in repeat 911 use for high‑frequency users.
The Levy County Board of County Commissioners approved write‑offs for ambulance billing totaling $369,110.03 for the first half of fiscal year 2026 and received an update on the county’s community paramedicine program.
Chief (Department of Public Safety) presented the write‑off request and explained part of the total reflects a transition between billing companies; he told the board the move to a new billing contractor should improve collections going forward. Commissioners discussed the recurring nature of ambulance write‑offs, noted the county’s assessment funding model and the long‑running difficulty in making EMS self‑sustaining, and asked staff to continue pursuing better billing performance and fee‑schedule options.
On the community paramedicine program, the chief said the program went full‑time and has enrolled about 120 people. Early local data for a small group of very high‑usage patients showed reductions in repeat calls — the chief cited an example of four high‑frequency users who collectively generated 47 fewer responses over a 90‑day period after program enrollment. The chief said the program is currently funded by state and federal grants, much of which stems from opioid‑settlement funding; he warned the board that the duration of grant funding is not guaranteed and staff will explore sustainability options ahead of next year’s budget cycle.
Board and public discussion also touched on nontransport fees, whether Levy EMS participates in major insurance networks (public comments asked if Blue Cross Blue Shield is an in‑network payer; the chief said the county is not an in‑network provider but invoices are processed), and whether the county should revisit a fee schedule dating from 2014.
Why it matters: Ambulance services remain a significant county expense. Commissioners emphasized the program is essential and explored operational changes — including billing improvements, paramedicine expansion and fee adjustments — intended to reduce write‑offs and improve sustainability.
What’s next: Staff will continue working with the new billing company, present possible rate/assessment options during the budget process and monitor community paramedicine results.
