Is this service a county owned service? So you are charging taxpayers twice?
AIKEN --- The high price of diesel fuel is forcing emergency medical services in Aiken County to implement new fees.
The Aiken County Department of Emergency Services recently announced that it would start charging a $35 fee if it responds to a 911 call and the patient refuses to be taken to a hospital.
"Every 911 call, we interpret as a call for transport," said Cindy Brazier of the county EMS. "But some call us and have no intention of going to the hospital, or they change their mind."
From Aug. 1, 2007, to Aug. 1 of this year, EMS' eight ambulances responded to 17,366 calls in an area roughly the size of Rhode Island. In about 3,400 of those cases, no one was taken to a hospital.
Ms. Brazier said that in about 30 percent of those cases EMS was not requested but automatically responded. The $35 fee will not be charged in such cases. Those who request an ambulance but do not accept the ride will be charged the fee.
Gold Cross, a privately run EMS service for Richmond and Columbia counties, does not charge a fee for patients who refuse to be taken to the hospital, but Chief Executive Officer Tom Schneider said the company is feeling the pain of high fuel prices.
"But like everyone else, we're trying to find ways to cut back where we can, but you're limited in just exactly what you can do," he said.
In Aiken County, the fee to transport a patient to the hospital ranges from $280 to $750, depending on the situation.
"We thought $35 isn't exorbitant," Ms. Brazier said.
The county ambulances use diesel fuel, which in the past year has skyrocketed, with Wednesday's national average at $4.27 a gallon, up from $2.93 a year ago, according to AAA.
Because of that and the number of calls EMS was responding to, the department exceeded its budget for fuel for fiscal year 2007-08. Ms. Brazier said that at the end of the third quarter the department was nearly $55,000 over its $130,000 fuel budget.
The EMS department received $200,000 for fuel for the entire fiscal year, which started July 1. From the start of this fiscal year to the end of August, it had spent $41,150 on fuel for its eight ambulances, which get eight to 10 miles to the gallon.
Aiken County EMS isn't the only emergency service agency to raise its fees in response to high gas prices.
Several Aiken County volunteer fire departments, whose vehicles also require diesel fuel, recently increased annual fire fees, in some cases by more than 190 percent.
Reach Michelle Guffey at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or michelle.guffey@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
Is this service a county owned service? So you are charging taxpayers twice?
Thre are instances where emergency treatment can be carried out without going to the hospital. This is just a fee in lieu of their making $400 - $500 for an unnecessary ambulance ride.
I see nothing wrong with the fee. If you call 911 with a medical emergency that the emt/paramedics deem necessary for hospital care once on scene and you refuse, you are costing every other taxpayer needless expense not to mention tying up an ambulance that could have been available for another call.
Why can't people get a grip? If someone dials 9-1-1 then it should be indicative of a genuine emergency. Apparently there are those with no idea just how much waste is billed to the taxpayers by those who simply don't care. Let the caller pay the $35.00 fee. Let's get real people. It cost money to run those government agencies just as it cost to run every other business in America. There are no free rides, just too many people trying to create them.
This is for the idiots that use the ambulance service as a doc in the box. Ambulances are for emergencies ONLY. If you are ill enough to require a 911 call then you shoul be ill enough to go get checked out. They are not doctors making housecalls.
What happens to all the money collected for 911 on telephone bills?
BTurner, that money is usually earmarked for communication centers. To my knowledge that money can't be spent on police, fire, or EMS vehicles, equipment, or salaries. That money is generally used to upgrade 911 communications equipment. The fee is reasonable many 911 calls are non-emergent in nature and people call to get "checked out" all the time. EMS has become many peoples on call docs and 911 abuse is common and costly for all services. The public needs to realize that 911 is for emergencies. Also just because the ambulance transports doesn't mean that they will get paid. Private insurance co's generally have stipulations on when they will pay and so does medicare and medicade. When these don't pay it becomes the responsibility of the person transported to pay and many times collection rates are as low as 30%. Fees for emergency services are only going to become more prevalent as budgets get tighter and the services get abused more and more.
No they arent charging taxpayers twice. They are charging those who call for an ambulance fivilously. I agree with edward, justtired, and getaclue. People do it all the time for dramatic usage in their dometstic disputes with police and ambulances for leverage in thier little games, seen it a lot!! And I am sure there are other reasons they do it, it seems a few thousand were able to find a few frivilous reasons to call. How would you feel if it were a busy night and when you called for a family member having a heart attack and no ambulances were available because of a huge pile up or explosion or fire somewhere and the last available ambulance you just missed who was close to your home is now clear across town bandaging a skint knee? You may not have gotten one anyway if they were all busy legitimately, but don't you think it takes a [filtered word] to waste the one possible last chance and waste it on something so frivilous? Our emergency services are not to be played with!!! JMHO!!! =)
$35.00 is not a high enough charge as it doesn't even cover the fuel, use of 9-1-1, employee salaries and vehicle maintenance. While these 3,000 + calls per year waist time, money and services they are also placing other in jeopardy by having EMS respond to their unnecessary calls and tying up EMS personnel. As for charging tax payers twice, that is silly. That would mean that the US Post Office shouldn't charge for stamps, and their would be no user fees for certain parks, etc. as well as the standard user fees for EMS services. Taxpayers already foot the bill to provide the ambulances in order to respond to legitimate calls as needed, anything above and beyond that should be the responsibility of the calling party. All governmnet services should be based more on user fees vs. property taxes with the exception of mandatory education. Parks, Lakes, Aquatic Centers, Ball Parks, etc. should all basically be able to pay for theirselves by charging those who use these facilities vs. those who never visit them.
If you dont get an ambulance when you call dont assume they are all on call, better off assuming the station in your area isnt manned. Aiken EMS has a serious staffing problem and is losing senior personnel by the handfuls.
I called 911 to report a prowler.... the ambulance showed up before the deputy... maybe we should arm the EMTs - then they can shoot the prowler and transport at the same time - saves the trouble (and gas) of having a patrol car show up!
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