New ‘No-Transport’ Fees Coming to Gilmer EMS

Though not fully approved yet, the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners are considering an addition to the County’s EMS Services, specifically in the Ambulance Fees.

The new fee would encompass Ambulance calls to people who then refuse transport to the hospital. Originally presented to the Commissioners by  Tony Pritchett, the new fee is said to be an answer to repeated calls by individuals who will then refuse transport in order to avoid paying for the medical care rendered.

One example offered at a Commissioners work session involved a person requiring services and an ambulance rushes out and administers Epinephrine to the patient. The patient then refuses transport to the hospital for follow-up care. Pritchett states that EMS then has no way to recoup the cost of medicines for the service.

While originally seemingly hesitant to begin applying a fee on all non-transport calls, the Commissioners are currently considering the following structure including a “zero-cost” for first time non-transport calls, but a $100 fee for repeated calls to help recover costs.

 AMBULANCE FEES

1. “Fire chief” shall mean the Fire Chief of Gilmer County Fire and Emergency Services, Gilmer County, Georgia.
2. Fees.

The following is the schedule of fees that shall be charged by the fire chief for ambulance and transport services rendered by the Gilmer County Fire and Emergency Services:

1. Advanced Life Support Transport …..$550.00
2. ALS LVL2 Transport …..$750.00
3. Advanced Life Support Emergent …..$650.00
4. Basic Life Support …..$400.00
5. Basic Life Support Emergent …..$500.00
6. Specialty Care Transport …..$850.00
7. Non-transport …..$0.00 for the first non-transport, each successive non-transport $100.00
8. Mileage (ALS and BLS), per mile …..$15.00

Mileage shall include the distance between the patient’s point of pickup and the receiving facility. This charge shall be applied for both in and out of county transports.

From time to time, upon the recommendation of the Chief of Gilmer County Fire Services, the above ambulance and transport fees may be revised as deemed necessary by resolution of the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners.

Collection of fees.

The fire chief shall issue invoices for such services as set forth in this chapter and shall collect such fees on behalf of Gilmer County.

Citizens are invited to offer their opinions on the change at a Public Hearing next Thursday, October 13, at 5:00 pm. The Commissioners are also holding their Regular Meeting following that hearing to vote on the First Reader of the change before a second-and-final reading would be held in November’s meeting.