Agenda

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SD. 7

To:	Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Board of Directors
From:	Daryl L. Louder, Contra Costa Fire Protection Dist.
Date:	February 12, 2013

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Cost Recovery for Emergency Medical Services Responses

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 02/12/2013

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

Contact:

Chief Daryl Louder, 925-941-3500

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: February 12, 2013
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief to develop an ordinance that would provide cost recovery for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responses.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Nominal fiscal impact for staff time to develop ordinance. Possible new revenue generation of $3-5 million annually if EMS cost recovery ordinance is adopted.

BACKGROUND:

The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District is an “all-hazards” organization that responds to fires (e.g. structural and vegetation), rescues (e.g. vehicle extrication, swift water, industrial accidents), emergency medical services (EMS), hazardous materials incidents, utility emergencies, etc. Functioning as an all-hazards organization provides the highest level of protection, service, and value to the community.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

Medical emergencies account for approximately 80% of the District's annual responses. This includes potentially life threatening emergencies (e.g. heart attack, respiratory difficulties, allergic reactions, trauma) that require advanced life support (ALS) and non-life threatening incidents (e.g. fractures, illness, soft tissue injuries) that require a basic life support (BLS) response.

All of the District firefighters are required to maintain either paramedic or emergency medical technician certifications in order to provide these services. Each response unit is staffed with a minimum of one paramedic and two EMTs and properly equipped for EMS response. The closest available resource (fire or ambulance) is dispatched to the incident in order to facilitate a timely response to the emergency.

Under the current system, only American Medical Response (AMR), the contract company that provides patient transport, is eligible for cost reimbursement. The Fire District does not receive any reimbursement for the medical response services that are provided. Property taxes provide the funding to build the response system and capacity. However, additional support and funding is necessary to maintain and sustain the system. These proposed user fees will help to cover the direct costs of delivering these vital services to the customers. A number of other jurisdictions across the State have implemented similar cost recovery user fees in order to maintain service levels.

The majority of the cost recovery fees would be covered by health and automobile insurance policies. The District would recommend a "compassionate billing" policy for those residents that are not insured and financially unable to pay for the services.

It is estimated that the cost recovery fees for EMS services would generate $3-5 million to offset the cost of providing the services. Revenue from the EMS cost recovery fees will be reinvested in the District in order to maintain critical response services and prevent further erosion of service levels in the community.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

The District would not develop a cost recovery ordinance for EMS responses.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

Not applicable.

CLERK'S ADDENDUM

AUTHORIZED the Fire Chief to continue to pursue information to possibly develop an ordinance that would provide cost recovery for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response and report back to the Board of Directors at a future meeting.