Agenda Item
City Council
Item #: 3.28. 6/13/2023 File #: 23-0395
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Tom Kisela, City Manager
FROM: Sean deMetropolis, Fire Chief
1. SUBJECT
A Resolution amending the Master Schedule of Fees and Charges to adjust Ground Ambulance Transportation Rates. Resolution No. 11463.
2. SUMMARY
The City’sEmergency Ground Ambulance Transportation rates have been kept consistent with those approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors. The Orange County Health Care Agency has made the annual adjustment, effective July 1, using an approved methodology. Staff recommends the City Council adopt the new rates for the City of Orange effective July 1, 2023.
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
Adopt Resolution No. 11463. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Orange amending the Master Schedule of Fees and Charges to adjust Emergency Medical Services and Ground Ambulance Transportation Rates.
4. FISCAL IMPACT
The ground ambulance transportation rate changes will result in an approximate increase of $400,000 in additional revenue to the Emergency Transport Program Fund (125).
5. STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Goal 2: Be a Fiscally Healthy Community
b: Analyze future fiscal needs and potential revenue opportunities.
6. DISCUSSION AND BACKGROUND
On December 20, 2022, the Orange County Board of Supervisors (BOS) passed Resolution No. 22- 163 which increased ground ambulance fees on January 1, 2023, and adopted methodology for future rate changes effective July 1 of each year.
The rate change by the BOS removes the itemized oxygen and expendable medical supply charges and bundles them into the transportation base rate. The new rates listed below, effective July 1, 2023, include a 2.4% increase based on the BOS approved metric of February percentage change to the transportation portion of the consumer price index of all urban consumers, Western region as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Additionally, a Standby rate will be added to the City Master Fee Schedule to allow cost recovery for ambulances posted at special events, disaster response, and extended wait times after emergency City of Orange Printed on 6/7/2023Page 1 of 2
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Item #: 3.28. 6/13/2023 File #: 23-0395
ambulances posted at special events, disaster response, and extended wait times after emergency transport to the hospital.
As with other EMS providers within the county, the Orange Fire Department’s operating costs continue to rise, and we repeatedly experience a shortfall in reimbursements for emergency ground transportation. The Fire Department recommends updating our transport fees to offset rising operational costs and remain consistent with those of other ambulance transportation providers throughout Orange County.
Current Rate Schedule July 1, 2022
Emergency Transportation Base Rate $1,381.75 $1,876.24 Mileage, Per Mile $ 19.77 $ 19.51
Oxygen $ 96.95 Incl. in base rate
Emergency Transport Standby Time N/A $ 132.10
(per 30 minutes after
the first 30 minutes)
Expendable Medical Supplies $ 38.27 Incl. in base rate (per response)
Based upon the revenue from emergency transports performed in FY 2022 and increased call volume since then, the proposed ground ambulance transportation rate changes should result in an increase of approximately $400,000 in additional yearly revenue to the Emergency Transport Program Fund (125), when adjusting for our payor mix.
7. ATTACHMENTS
· Resolution No. 11463
· OCEMS Memo with attached Policy #714.00 and OC Board of Supervisors Resolution 22-163
· Bureau of Labor Statistics West Transportation CPI Report City of Orange Printed on 6/7/2023Page 2 of 2
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