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City raises EMS fees, implements resident/nonresident rates and higher loaded-mile charge
Summary
The council adopted changes to the EMS fee schedule, increasing resident and nonresident ambulance and ALS rates and raising the loaded-mile rate to $20 to better align billing with regional peers and rising costs for ambulances and drugs.
The Edwardsville City Council adopted Ordinance 10-97 to amend the city’s EMS fee schedule, increasing a range of ambulance charges and formalizing resident versus nonresident billing.
Fire department leadership (speaker 12) said the proposed changes reflect rising costs of ambulance equipment, drugs and vehicle operation and bring the city closer to regional and national comparators. Under the adopted schedule, some examples stated by the chief include raising a basic resident nonemergency/ emergency rate toward roughly $900 and nonresident rates higher (chief noted varied ALS and specialty-transport increases). The loaded-mile rate was raised from $13 to $20 per loaded mile, consistent with recent federal and Medicare guidance. The chief said hardship waivers and write-offs remain available for residents and that the department bills insurance first and pursues balances under policy for nonresidents.
Council asked how much revenue is recovered and about delinquency. The chief said the department currently recovers about 74% of billed amounts through the billing company and that about $97,000 in net write-offs had been recorded this year as part of operating losses tied to insurance shortfalls. Following staff answers, council moved and the ordinance passed on the recorded vote.
