Select Board approves increase of ambulance fees

Date: 12/8/2008

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



LONGMEADOW Fire Chief Eric Madison came before the Select Board on Dec. 1 to discuss raising the ambulance fees for the town of Longmeadow.

The rates had not been raised since 2003.

Madison explained that industry standards generally have ambulance fees at Medicare allowable rates plus 30 to 50 percent. As rates in town have not been adjusted in five years, the current fee is close to Medicare plus about 17 percent.

Private insurers cover what Medicare does not.

"We've slipped below industry standards," Madison said, and he proposed the Select Board approve raising the rates. He suggested the board go toward the high end of the rate scale so they wouldn't need to worry about adjusting it for the next few years.

The board could also approve of a smaller increase and see the rates adjusted annually. Select Board member William Scibelli was in favor of this option.

"Ninety-five percent of delinquent bills in town are ambulance bills," he said. "I'd rather see a gradual increase than massive increases every three or four years."

"Besides being at industry standards, why raise the rates?" Paul Santaniello, chair of the board, asked. Madison replied it would bring in revenue.

The fire department responds to approximately 1,200 ambulance calls a year, with 1,263 runs taken in 2007, according to Madison.

Santaniello thought it was "premature" to set new ambulance rates since the town hasn't set the fiscal year 2010 budget yet, but Select Board member Robert Barkett disagreed.

"I think the timing is appropriate," Barkett stated. "I would rather know the potential revenue stream going in [to budget discussions]."

Scibelli made a motion to have the board approve of new ambulance fees of Medicare allowable rates plus 30 percent, to be adjusted annually. The motion passed 3 - 1.

"I think the Board's decision ... is sound and makes good sense," Madison told Reminder Publications. "I believe it will keep our rates within the normal range every year."

Medicare usually releases its rates in November. The rates saw a five percent increase this year.