To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: PATRICK BUTLER, FIRE CHIEF
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DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A FIRE DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FIRST RESPONDER FEE
DIRECT STAFF TO COMPLETE THE DRAFT AGREEMENT WITH WITTMAN ENTERPRISES, LLC. TO ADMINISTER THE NECESSARY BILLING SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH COLLECTION OF THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FEE AND RETURN IN JULY WITH AN ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION OF AGREEMENT APPROVAL
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On June 20, 2023, the City Council approved an amendment to the Master Fee Schedule to update the Fire Department Pre-Hospital Paramedic service fee from $100 to $313. The Pre-Hospital Paramedic service fee, commonly referred to as the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) First Responder Fee, is designed to recuperate the costs associated with the provision of emergency medical services, supplies, equipment, and personnel. The fee was first approved in 2010, but was never implemented. Collection of the $313 fee requires the development and execution of a billing program. Accordingly, the Fire Department has developed a fee collection policy that fairly balances the costs associated with EMS provision for all users and includes a hardship clause for those users who cannot afford, or are unbale to pay the fee. The policy also accounts for State legislation addressing "surprise" ambulance bills, including Assembly Bill (AB) 716, which is primarily directed to ambulance transport providers.
To implement the policy and to collect the fee, staff has identified Wittman Enterprises, LLC (Wittman), an EMS billing company that provides services to a large number of EMS providers, as the most qualified firm to assist in administering the fee collection program. A draft contract with Wittman (see attached) has been prepared to provide the billing and collection services. Based on Wittman's experience and the City's annual calls for service, staff is projecting that a minimum of $250...
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