First Responder Fee
Merced Fire Department
First Responder Fee Study
City of Merced Fire Department
Derek Parker, Fire Chief
Merced Fire Department - History
• MFD began providing medical services in 1974
• Paramedic feasibility study completed in 1975
First Responder Fee
Merced Fire Department - History
First Responder Fee
1974 MFD Paramedic Feasibility Study
Merced Fire Department – EMS
• Responded to 12,084 calls in 2021
• 61% of calls were medical in nature
• Responded to 4,289 calls in 2003
• 44% of calls were medical in nature
• Responding to medical aid requests is not a statutory obligation for the department, but a secondary service
• These services require funding and billing is allowable due to non-statutory mandate
• City residents find value in receiving medical services • To mitigate financial burden, MFD is requesting to begin medical billing to acquire alternative resources to support continuing medical services First Responder Fee
Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
• June 2022 First Responder
Fee Study completed
• AP Triton completed the
study
• 13 recommendations were
cited
First Responder Fee
Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
• There is an existing First Responder Fee which is supposed to be administered by the ambulance contractor per the RFP
First Responder Fee
Merced County RFP | Exclusive Operating Area
Provider for Emergency Ambulance Service
Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
First Responder Fee AP Triton First Responder Fee Feasibility Study Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
First Responder Fee AP Triton First Responder Fee Feasibility Study Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
First Responder Fee AP Triton First Responder Fee Feasibility Study Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
First Responder Fee AP Triton First Responder Fee Feasibility Study Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
First Responder Fee AP Triton First Responder Fee Feasibility Study Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
• Who else has a FRF?
• Sanger
• Corona
• Pine Valley
• Loma Linda
• Montclair
• La Habra Heights
• Kirkwood
• San Bernardino
• Sunshine Summit
• San Ramon
• Folsom
• Novato
• Albany
• Glendale
• Burbank
• Sacramento Metro
• Sacramento
• Cosumnes
• Moraga-Orinda
• Huntington Beach
• Anaheim
• Costa Mesa
• Chula Vista
First Responder Fee
• How much is the
average FRF?
• Fees range from
$300 to $825 per
response
AP Triton First Responder Fee Feasibility Study
Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
• How will revenue be utilized?
• Advanced Life Support (ALS) education
• ALS equipment
• ALS pay for employees
First Responder Fee
Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
First Responder Fee AP Triton First Responder Fee Feasibility Study Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
First Responder Fee
AP Triton First Responder Fee Feasibility Study
Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
First Responder Fee
AP Triton First Responder Fee Feasibility Study
Merced Fire Department – First
Responder Fee
First Responder Fee AP Triton First Responder Fee Feasibility Study MFD Objectives
• Contract with 3rd party biller through RFP
• Bill private insurance for First Responder Fee
• Establish policy to withhold billing Medi-Cal, Medi-Care, and Private Party Merced City residents
• Establish a Compassion Waiver policy
• Community outreach efforts to educate on outcomes of new program First Responder Fee
Council Action
• Approve First Responder Fee Feasibility Study
• Provide direction to establish policy to withhold billing Medi-Cal, Medi-Care, and Private Party Merced City residents
• Provide direction to establish a Compassion Waiver policy First Responder Fee