Ambulance runs and revenue are on pace to generate more than $750,000 this year.
Allen County guaranteed Iola $750,000 in the contract for the city to operate countywide ambulance service. Any collected above that will go into the county’s ambulance fund, to meet the cost of new ambulances in years ahead.
Meanwhile, Iola officials think they are going to come up $400,000 short at the end of the year.
At least one commissioner isn’t so sure.
Iola needs “to give it a chance to succeed,” said Commissioner Tom Williams. “I think they have the people who can do it. I think with the runs becoming more streamlined, they can come out ahead.”
Much of the feared deficit is from overtime pay, which spiked early this year when additional personnel were being hired and trained and run numbers soared.
Commissioner Jim Talkington, while allowing the two governing bodies signed a contract, wondered if the county should be a little more conducive to helping if Iola finances continue to flag.
“It is our responsibility to provide ambulance service,” he said.
City Administrator Carl Slaugh and others representing the city are due to visit with commissioners next Tuesday morning.
TERRY CALL, who bills for ambulance runs, told commissioners a component of the process was being overlooked by city responders, even though he has brought it up several times.
Reports for each run require review by the attending paramedic, including his or her signature.
“They’re not signing them and we could lose reimbursement,” from Medicare and private insurance, he said. “It doesn’t take any time to sign a form. You can do it with a mouse or a stylus on a tablet. Some of them are just drawing a straight line.”
While unsigned forms have not yet led to forfeited payments, they could, Call said.
Commissioners, who would be on the hook if run revenue falls short of $750,000, asked Call to continue to pursue the signature issue.
Ryan Sell, Iola’s ambulance director, and Fire Chief Tim Thyer have admonished the responders, Call said, but so far it hasn’t been altogether successful.
Through April 30 ambulances had 665 responses and transported 482 patients, including 125 hospital transfers, Call said. He has billed $82,475.88 since Jan. 1, with $207,218.04 collected. Nearly $47,000 more has been collected from earlier billings, putting this year’s first four months’ total at $254,125.45, which “puts us on pace to collect $762,376.35 for the year,” Call said.
