City council members discussed the privatization of billing with the EMS services in Iola. Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock proposed the council officially close out the Prairie Spirit Trail project and make final payment to Schwab Eaton Engineers — the contractors for the trail. Council members deferred a new bicycle ordinance that would allow cyclists to ride on the sidewalks anywhere in the city, as well as negate the requirement to register a bicycle with the city. The Iola Register and Great Southern Bank were unanimously voted by council members to be accepted as the official newspaper and bank for the city of Iola.
City Administrator Carl Slaugh brought the proposal before the council, which includes three bids from private EMS billing companies — Omni EMS Billing, Wichita, EMS Billing, Omaha, Neb., and Mediclaims Inc., Tonkawa, Okla.
Slaugh said in an earlier council meeting that the increase of bills garnered by the city would offset the percentage cost of hiring a company to do the city’s billing. Omni charges 7.75 percent of the total cost, EMS Billing charges 10 percent and Mediclaims Inc. charges 8 percent.
EMS Billing includes the cost of postage in their percentage, which leads to the higher percentage cost. Slaugh said he will research whether the higher percentage due to postage will lead to savings for the city.
“I think it is worth a try to turn the billing over to the companies,” Slaugh said. “It would be a fairly seamless transition.”
The transition would be aided by the fact that the companies would integrate with the city’s current software, leaving very little work for the city employees to do, Slaugh said.
Council member David Toland questioned whether such changes would interfere with EMS negotiations between the county. Slaugh said, “any changes with the county are not likely to happen within a year.”
Council members also brought up the billing rates in the city, which Slaugh said are significantly lower than that of the county’s. Slaugh suggested that the rates be raised to match the county’s.
Council members decided to defer the decision until the next city council meeting, citing the need to discuss things further with the county, as well as research the cost of postage for billing EMS services.
Schinstock said the city is approximately $6,000 under budget for the trail.
He said due to delays in the trail for inspection, the engineering firm “ate the cost” of the extra time needed. Schinstock proposed that the city award the approximate $1,500 to Schwab Eaton. He said the city was under no legal obligation to pay the damages, but suggested the council award the funds on good faith.
The council passed motions to pay the damages, as well as close the Prairie Spirit Trail project, barring any legal hurdles in paying the damages to the engineering firm.
Due to clarification issues, the motion was deferred in order to stipulate that bicycles may be ridden on the sidewalks around the courthouse and town square.
Council discusses EMS Billing
