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Resident protests $75 'treat, no transport' EMS charge; county to publish itemized fees
Summary
A resident told commissioners he was billed $75 after an EMS call that did not transport him; County Manager Thomas Weaver explained that the $75 covers on-scene treatment and staff costs and said the county will present an itemized charge breakdown at a future meeting.
At the Dec. 2 regular meeting a resident, Derrick White of Lafeyette Road, told the Board of Commissioners he received a $75 EMS bill despite not being taken to the hospital and said he did not know about the fee until he received the bill.
White said he believed the $10 charge on the monthly water bill ought to cover EMS services. County Manager Thomas Weaver and Chairman Charles Coffey responded that the $10 water-bill line item funds 911 service and that the $75 charge is specifically the 'treat, no transport' fee for on-scene care. "The $75.00 is for treatment, no transport charge for when the ambulance comes out," Weaver said in response to the resident's complaint. Weaver told commissioners staff would prepare an itemized charge sheet for the next meeting so the Commission could review typical EMS billing components.
The matter was raised again in the Dec. 22 work session, where Weaver outlined common transport rates for context (examples cited by staff: basic ALS $1,000; ALS2 $1,600; other levels and BLS figures were discussed) and reiterated that the smaller fee covers fuel, payroll and on-scene treatment costs when no transport occurs. The board did not vote on a change to fees at either session, but commissioners directed staff to return with clear, itemized information for public review.
The resident's complaint prompted no immediate policy change; the county said it will use the next regular meeting to present the itemized charges and consider public outreach explaining EMS billing.
