Resolution 1996-303
JUN 2 5 1996
RBSOLUTION NO. " - 303
RIlSOLUTIOJl APPROVING OSIlR FIlIlS FOR COLLIBR COOHTY
lUIIlOLlUlCB SIlRVICIlS PORSOAll'r TO COLLIIlR COOHTY ORDIIlAlICIl
NO." 36 ; ADOPTING BILLING A1ID COLLIlCTION
PROCIlDORB; PROVIDING ADJVSTIlEllTS A1ID lfAIVIlRS; A1ID
APPROVIJlG IlARDSBIP CASIlS A1ID PAYXBHT PLAIIS
WHEREAS,
Collier
Medical
County
services
Emergency
(hereinafter eometimes referred to as "EMS") provides ambulance
services to the residents and visitors of Collier County; and
WHEREAS, the Collier County EMS operating budget is funded
exclusively through ad valorem taxes and user fees; and
WHEREAS, Collier County staff analysis of the cost for
ambulance services requires an adjustment to the user fees to
properly identify current costs of services to the residents and
visitors of Collier County; and
WHEREAS, Collier County Ordinance 96 - ~ provides that the
user fees for ambulance services may be established by Resolution
of the Board of County Commissioners (hereinafter sometimes
referred to as "the Board").
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD 01' COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA that:
SIlCTIOJl OHll. IlMS OSIlR PBBS
USER FEE
CHARGE
A.
EMS AMBULANCE TRANSPORT BASE RATE
$302
B. SPECIAL EVENTS:
C.
- TWO (2) MEDICS/ONE VEHICLE (PER HOUR)
- ONE (1) MEDIC/NO VEHICLE (PER HOUR)
COPIES OF DOCUMENTS/PER PAGE
EXCLUDING GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES)
INTEREST ON PAST DUE ACCOUNTS
1\
$ 75
$ 40
$ 2
D.
SBCTIOJl TWO. BILLING A1ID COLLBCTION PROCBDURB
The following shall be the minimum guidelines for billing and
collection procedures for ambulance service fees and charges:
A. Initial fees and charges for ambulance service(s) shall
be assessed either prior to or following the service provision, as
services dynamics reasonably permit.
Unpaid fees and charges,
subsequent to time of service, shall be reflected in an accounts
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JUN 2 5 1996
receivable sUbsidiary ledger system to be maintained by the Revenue
Services Department.
B. An initial bill for ambulance services shall be processed
in the following manner within thirty (30) days after service is
provided.
1. The County will send an initial bill to the
service recipient's or responsible party's insurance
carrier provided that appropriate insurance information
is made available to the Revenue Services Department.
The Revenue Services Department will accept Medicare
assignment, as a participating provider, and will wait no
less than 45 days for payment if Medicare or another
insurance carrier is billed.
If the claim is denied, a
bill will be sent to the service recipient or responsible
party.
2. The County will also send a bill to Medicaid
and
accept
assignment
if
appropriate
insurance
information is made available to the Revenue Services
Department by the service recipient or responsible party.
The Revenue Services Department will wait no le~s than 60
days for payment if Medicaid is bii:~d. J~ the claim is
denied, a bill will be sent to the service recipient or
responsible party.
3.
In the event the
service recipient or
responsible party does not have or does not provide proof
of insurance coverage, the bill for ambulance service(s)
shall be sent directly to the service recipient or
responsible party for payment. The Revenue Services
Department will wait no less than 30 days for payment.
The following will occur if payment has not been received
within above set guidelines:
a. A past due notice will be sent in
accordance with the above provisions (45 days after
billing third party or Medicare, 60 days after
billing Medicaid and
30 days after billing
responsible party or service recipient).
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JUN 2 5 1996
b. Thirty (30) days) after the first past due
notice is sent, a second past due notice will be
sent.
c. After a ten (10) day grace period, the
account will be sent to the County I s contracted
collection agency.
C. Interest will be assessed at l' per month on
all accounts that are either sent to the County's
contracted collection agency or Bet up tor a payment plan
(excluding hardships that adhere to County policy).
D. A reasonable and customary payment plan will be
made available for all service recipients or responsible
parties. The minimum amount to be paid on a payment plan
will be $25/month.
Should the service recipient or
responsible party at any time fail to meet the terms and
conditions of the payment plan, the unpaid balance shall
be administered in accordance with section B.3 above.
E. When ambulance service bill(s), at any stage in
this billing and collection procedure, arb returned
because the Postal service cannot effectuate deli very,
the Revenue Services Department b:,..ll make " reasonable
effort to ascertain the correct mailing address. If
reasonable efforts to ascertain a correct address fail,
the account (s) may be considered for other collection
alternatives.
F. Nothing contained in this section shall
preclude reasonable telephone or other appropriate
contact for billing and collection purposes, in
accordance with all applicable laws.
G.
Throughout the fiscal year,
the Revenue
Services Department shall review all past due accounts
and report to the Board of County Commissioners on an
annual basis, of all past due accounts which are believed
to be uncollectible.
The Board shall, after reviewing
these past due accounts and after finding that diligent
efforts at collection have proven unsuccessful, remove
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JUN 2 5 1996
these past due accounts from active accounts receivable
in
with
accounting
generally
accepted
accordance
procedures and pursuant to law by Resolution.
SIlCTIOJl TBRIlIl I ADJVBTIlEllT 01' IlMS osn PIlIlS
The following ehall be minimum guidelines for adjustments of
ambulance service fees.
other adjustments are authorized by the
Board of County Commissioners in accordance with criteria
established by the enabling Ordinance.
A. Medicare and Medicaid Adiustments
Contractual adjustments under Medicare and Medicaid assignment will
be made in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.
B. Victim's ComDensation Contractual Adiustments
Contractual adjustments will be made in accordance with applicable
rules and regulations.
SIlCTIOJl FOUR I lfAIVIlR 01' IlMS OSIlR PIlB
Pursuant to Ordinance No. 96- -d.2..-, and from the effective
date of this Resolution, user fees for EMS ambulance stand-by
services for the following community special events shall be waived
as the Board finds that a valid public purpose is hereby
established in recognition of their charitable contributlons to the
Community:
(1) Collier County Fair;
" \
\-,
Everg1ades Seafood
Festival; (3) Senior PGA; and (4) Nuveen Masters.
Fees for other
community special events may be waived in accordance with criteria
established by the enabling Ordinance.
BIlCTIOJl FIVE. IlARDBBIP CASIlS A1ID PAYMIlHT PLAIIS
The Board recognizes that certain service recipients may need
to be identified and processed as hardship cases.
Payment plans
will be established pursuant to the minimum guidelines set forth in
this Resolution.
A. Hardship cases will be established in accordance with the
State's Pinancial hardship guidelines, as used by HRS-Collier
County.
B. Payment plans for hardship cases will be set up on a
monthly basis, with a minimum payment of $10.00 per month.
Hardship cases, placed on a payment plan will not accrue interest
or be placed into collection. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a
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JUN 2 5 1996
service recipient has a payment plan and does not make the
scheduled payments for a period longer than two (2) months, the
account will be turned over to the County's contracted collection
agency and interest will begin to accrue.
SIlCTIOJl SIX.
BOPBRSIlSSION OP RIlSOLOTION '4-67'
This Resolution shall supersede Resolution No. 94-679.
BIlCTIOJl BIlVIlH. ADOPTION A1ID IlPPIlCTIVB DATil
This Resolution shall become effective on July 1, 1995.
PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners
of Collier County, Florida, this .2S- day of 'J...
v .
, 1996.
,....".
A'I:'1'EST: :
DWIGHT E: 'Jj~t>CK, Clerk
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA
'.-:-
.~.,',r
". ",..
,<;_,/IJ,("
Approve,s' ....'\:0 form and
legal 'sufficiency:
~ J, f ( I -f AY, UA /'..
H id - HShton
Assistant County Attorney
I6.twItmI__f.
IOO~ 000 WI 17G
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