HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2019-52WF
CITY OF KENAI
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-52
Sponsored by: Administration
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, AMENDING ITS
COMPREHENSIVE SCHEDULE OF RATES, CHARGES, AND FEES TO ELIMINATE THE
AMBULANCE FEE FOR PATIENT TREATMENT WITHOUT TRANSPORT.
WHEREAS, the City's Charity Care Policy relies on Central Peninsula Hospital to determine a
patients ability to pay; and,
WHEREAS, because patients who are not transported to the hospital are likely to not have a
determination on their ability to pay; and,
WHEREAS, without an ability to pay determination, patients who do not have the ability to pay
could be subjected to collection procedures; and,
WHEREAS, postponing the implementation of a fee for treatment without transport until a viable
charity care methodology is developed is in the best interest of the City and its residents.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA:
Section 1. The Fire Department section of the City's Comprehensive Schedule of Rates,
Charges and Fees be amended as follows:
FIRE DEPARTMENT
AMBULANCE FEES
BLS Non -emergency $450.00
BLS Emergency $575.00
ALS I (advanced life support) $700.00
ALS II $875.00
[TREATMENT WITH NO TRANSPORT $250.00]
Mileage per mile $14.00
New Text Underlined; [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
Resolution No. 2019-34
Page 2 of 2
Section 2. That this resolution takes effect immediately upon adoption.
ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, this 31 day of July, 2019.
ATTEST:
BRIAN GABRIEL SR., O.
Heinz, CMC, City Cley{�'�CENq�
v°���
�, �N
U z�
New Text Underlined; [DELETED TEXT
\WI
MEMORANDUM
1114a� w;tlr, a Past, Citi W&4 a Ftu�e
210 Fidalgo Ave, Kenai, Alaska 99611-7794
Telephone: (907) 283-7535 1 Fax: (907) 283-3014
www. kenai.city
TO: Mayor Brian Gabriel and Kenai City Council
THROUGH: Paul Ostrander, City Manager
FROM: Terry Eubank, Finance Director
DATE: June 26, 2019
SUBJECT: Resolution No. 2019 — 52
The purpose of this memo is to recommend adoption of Resolution 2019-52 amending the City's
Comprehensive Schedule of Rates, Charges, and Fees to eliminate the ambulance fee for
treatment of patients without transporting the patient to Central Peninsula Hospital. This fee was
proposed as part of the FY2020 Budget and is projected to generate $15,404 based upon FY2018
run data. The fee is ineligible for reimbursement by Medicare and only 14%, estimated at $3,300,
is recoverable from $23,580 in Medicaid billing. The remaining $12,104 is projected to be
collected from private pay and privately insured patients.
The City has adopted a Charity Care Policy to reduce or eliminate the fees charged for ambulance
service for those with limited or no ability to pay. The City matches the percentage of bill waiver
granted by Central Peninsula Hospital (CPH) to patients transported by the Kenai Fire
Department. CPH's Charity Care Policy is based on a financial analysis of a patient's ability to
pay. The process not only looks at the patient's income but also at the patient's assets and credit
history for this determination. It is a complex process requiring substantial documentation from
the patient and staff resources to complete. The process would also require the City to collect
and maintain personal protected information (PPI) from individuals which would likely require new
network security requirements to insure patient PPI is protected and secure.
Considering the inability to provide charity care using the City's existing policy, the costs and
complexity of amending the City's Charity Care Policy, and the limited revenue that will be
generated, the Administration recommends and respectfully requests your support for Resolution
2019-52 that will eliminate the ambulance fee for treatment of patients who are not transported to
Central Peninsula Hospital.