Resolution 2001-410
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RESOLUTION NO. 01. 410
RESOLUTION APPROVING USER FEES FOR COLLIER
COUNTY AMBULANCE SERVICES PURSUANT TO COLLIER
COUNTY ORDINANCE NO. 96 . 36; ADOPTING BILLING AND
COLLECTION PROCEDURE; PROVIDING ADJUSTMENTS AND
WAIVERS; AND APPROVING HARDSHIP CASES AND
PAYMENT PLANS
WHEREAS, Collier County Emergency Medical Services (hereinafter sometimes
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 - 36 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 OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA THAT:
SECTION ONE: EMS USER FEES
BASE RATES
SERVICE LEVELS BASE CHARGE
A. EMS - BLS NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORT $ 300.00
B. EMS - BLS EMERGENCY TRANSPORT $ 325.00
C. EMS - ALS 1 NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORT $ 350.00
D. EMS - ALS 1 EMERGENCY TRANSPORT $ 375.00
E. EMS - ALS 2 EMERGENCY TRANSPORT $ 400.00
F. EMS - SPECIALTY CARE TRANSPORT $ 450.00
G. EMS - HELICOPTER TRANSPORT $ 500.00
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MILEAGE RATES
SERVICE LEVELS
MILEAGE CHARGE
A. EMS - IN COUNTY GROUND UNIT TRANSPORT
(MINIMUM OF 1 MILE - CAP OF 10 MILES)
B. EMS - OUT OF COUNTY GROUND UNIT TRANSPORT
(MINIMUM OF 1 MILE WITH NO CAP)
C. EMS - IN COUNTY AIR UNIT TRANSPORT
(MINIMUM OF 1 MILE - CAP OF 10 MILES)
D. EMS - OUT OF COUNTY AIR UNIT TRANSPORT
(MINIMUM OF 1 MILE WITH NO CAP)
$ 7.00
$ 7.00
$ 10.00
$ 10.00
SPECIAL EVENTS AND MISCELANEOUS RATES
SERVICE LEVELS
RATES
- TWO (2) MEDICS/ONE ALS VEHICLE (PER HOUR)
- ONE (1) MEDIC/NO VEHICLE
(PER HOUR)
$
$
$
50.00
150.00
COPIES OF DOCUMENTS/PER PAGE
(EXCLUDING GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES)
INTEREST ON PAST DUE ACCOUNTS
1.00
1%
SECTION TWO: BILLING AND COLLECTION PROCEDURE
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 service dynamics reasonably permit.
Unpaid fees and charges, subsequent to time of service, shall be reflected in an
accounts receivable subsidiary ledger system to be maintained by the EMS
Department.
B. An initial bill for ambulance services shall be processed in the following
manner within thirty (30) days after service is provided.
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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 EMS Billing Section.
The EMS Billing Section will accept Medicare assignment, as a
participating provider, and will wait no less than 45 days for payment if
Medicare or other insurance carrier's are 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 EMS Billing
Section by the service recipient or responsible party. The EMS Billing
Section will wait no less than 60 days for payment if Medicaid is billed.
If the claim is denied because of no coverage at time of service, a bill
will sent to the service recipient or responsible party. If Medicaid
denies because they felt it was not medically necessary to be
transported by ambulance, then the account will be adjusted off per
the rules and regulations of Medicaid.
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 EMS Billing Section will wait no
less than 30 days for payment.
The following will occur if payment has not been received within above
set guidelines:
1. 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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2. Thirty (30) days) after the first past due notice is sent, a
second past due notice will be sent.
3. After a ten (10) day grace period, the account will be sent
to the County's contracted collection agency.
C. Interest will be assessed at 1 % per month on all accounts that are
sent to the County's contracted collection agency. (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. 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, are returned because the Postal Service cannot
effectuate delivery, the EMS Billing Section shall make a 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 EMS Billing Section 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 these past due accounts from active accounts receivable in
accordance with generally accepted accounting procedures and
pursuant to law by Resolution.
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SECTION THREE: ADJUSTMENT OF EMS USER FEES
The following shall be minimum guidelines for adjustments to ambulance service
fees. The Board of County Commissioners in accordance with criteria established by
the enabling Ordinance may authorize other adjustments.
A. Medicare and Medicaid Adiustments
Contractual adjustments under Medicare and/or Medicaid assignment will be made in
accordance with applicable rules and regulations.
B. Victim's Compensation Contractual Adiustments
Contractual adjustments will be made in accordance with applicable rules and
regulations.
C. Worker's Compensation Contractual Adiustments
Contractual adjustments will be made in accordance with applicable rules and
regulations.
D. County Emolovee Adiustments
Board of County Commissioners and Constitutional Officers' employees that have
Primary coverage under Collier County's insurance policy will receive an adjustment in
accordance with applicable rules and regulations of Ordinance 96-36.
E. ChampuslTricare Adiustments
Contractual adjustments will be made in accordance with applicable rules and
regulations.
F. Railroad Retirement Adiustments
Contractual adjustments will be made in accordance with applicable rules and
regulations.
G. Social Services Adiustments
Contractual adjustments will be made in accordance with rules established by the
County Manager and memorialized by a memorandum of understanding executed by the
Social Services Director and the EMS Operations Director.
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SECTION FOUR: WAIVER OF EMS USER FEE
Pursuant to Ordinance No. 96 - 36, 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 contributions to the Community: (1) Collier
County Fair; (2) Everglades Seafood Festival; (3) Collier County Public High School
varsity football games. Fees for other community special events may be waived in
accordance with criteria established by the enabling Ordinance.
SECTION FIVE: HARDSHIP CASES AND PAYMENT PLANS
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 Federal Poverty
guidelines, as used by the Social Services Department of 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
service recipient has a payment plan and does not make the agreed 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.
SECTION SIX: SUPERSESSION OF RESOLUTION 2000-167
This Resolution shall supersede Resolution No. 2000-167
SECTION SEVEN: ADOPTION AND EFFECTIVE DATE
This Resolution shall become effective on October 1, 2001.
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PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of
Collier County, Florida, this J ~ ~I) day of CAi.TP 13 E I?-. 2001.
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Approved as to form and
legal sufficiency:
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