HomeMy WebLinkAbout21-Fire CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO—REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
From: Michael J. Conrad, Fire Chief Subject: Resolution amending the city's' master fee'schedule,
resolution number 2008-149 adjusting the emergency
medical services (EMS)user fees.
Dept: Fire
Date: June 12, 2008 MC/C Meeting Date: July 7, 2008
Synopsis of Previous Council Action:
05/15/06 Resolution #2006-147 amending the city's master fee schedule, resolution #2005-147 to reflect the
new emergency medical services user fees; and authorizing the execution of a first amendment to the
billing service agreement between the City of San Bernardino and Advanced Data Processing Inc.
05/01/06 The Mayor and Common Council also approved a motion directing staff to revise the EMS User Fee
Program and to bring back the appropriate ordinance and resolution.
05/01/06 The Mayor and Common Council approved 1St reading of an ordinance repealing Chapter 3.72 of the
San Bernardino Municipal Code and Resolution 2006-122 amending resolution number 2005-147
deleting EMS User Fees and authorizing the Fire Chief to terminate the billing services agreement.
04/17/06 The Mayor and Common Council motioned that the item be continued to May 1, 2006 meeting.
04/03/06 The Mayor and Common Council voted to eliminate the Emergency Medical Services User Fees.
03/21/06 The Legislative Review Committee discussed the Emergency Medical Service Program user fee and
directed staff to eliminate the fees.
06/06/05 Resolution 2005-147 the new master fee resolution and repeals resolution no. 2004-252.
02/17/04 Resolution 2004-58 repealing resolution no. 90-471 and increasing the fees.
11/19/90 Resolution 90-471 establishing emergency medical fees to be charged by the Fire Department and
adding Chapter 3.72 to the Municipal Code entitled "User Fees and Medical Services", authorizing
the collection of user fees and membership fees for Fire Department Emergency Medical Services.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Adopt resolution, and
2. Authorize the Finance Director to amend the FY 2008-2009 Budget and increase General Fund revenue number
account 001-000-4880 (EMS User Fee)by$200,000 from $230,000 to a new total of$430,000.
Signature
Contact Person: _ Michael J. Conrad, Fire Chief Phone: (909) 384-5286
Supporting data attached: Staff Report and Resolution Ward: City Wide
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: $430,000
Source: (Acct No.) 001-000-4880
(Acct. Description) EMS User Fee
Finance:
Council Notes: eIV50 Z,00'f — Z?S-
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Agenda Item No.
i
STAFF REPORT
SUBJECT:
Resolution amending the city's master fee schedule, resolution number 2008-149 adjusting
the emergency medical services (EMS) user fees.
BACKGROUND:
Fire has provided Emergency Medical Services (EMS) at the advanced life support
(paramedic) level to our residents and visitors since 1976. These services are over and
above the tax-funded functions of the Fire Department. As such, the Fire Department
charges a fee for those first responder paramedic services in the amount of$200 per call.
The EMS user fee is to cover the equipment, personnel, and training costs involved with
providing our patients timely, high quality paramedic service.
In 2006, the city was considering eliminating the EMS user fees for services associated
with the delivery of paramedic services for advanced life support and basic life support.
The EMS user fee was $250 per call and the city offered a voluntary membership fee for
$24 per household to assist our city residents with an affordable option. Therefore, the
EMS User Fee Program was restructured to decrease the EMS user fee per call and
included an exemption clause for senior citizens and low-income residents.
Currently, the city does not charge residents 65 years of age or older the EMS user fee.
The exemption for senior citizens prevents us from billing approximately 2,500 patients
each year, or almost 12% of our total EMS responses. The Fire Department is
recommending that senior citizens that do not qualify as low-income be charged the EMS
user fee for services rendered by the Fire Department. The following is the proposed
revision to the exemption to user fees:
1. Remove current exemptions to include billing of all patients that do not qualify as
low-income for the services they receive.
2. Continue the low-income exemption program to provide our residents with the
ability to receive service without increasing the fiscal impact on those least able to
pay.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The estimated additional revenue from revising the EMS User Fee Program for FY 2008-
2009 is $200,000. This is based on the number of exempted residents (2,500) multiplied
by the EMS user fee rate of$200 per call at the estimated collection rate of 40%. The 60%
non-collectibles reflects the senior citizens that would be exempted as low income, as well
as those that would not pay the bill. A budget amendment increasing the revenue by
1
$200,000 from $230,000 to a new total of$430,000 is needed to reflect the new revenue
amount in FY 2008-2009 proposed budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Adopt resolution, and
2. Authorize the Finance Director to amend the FY 2008-2009 Budget and increase
General Fund revenue number account 001-000-4880 (EMS User Fee) by $200,000
from $230,000 to a new total of$430,000.
2
D
RESOLUTION NO.
1
RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
2 SAN BERNARDINO AMENDING THE CITY'S MASTER FEE SCHEDULE,
3 RESOLUTION NUMBER 2008-149 ADJUSTING THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICES (EMS) USER FEES.
4
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE
5 CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO AS FOLLOWS:
6 SECTION 1. Resolution No. 2008-149, adopted by the Mayor and Common Council
7 on May 5, 2008 establishing a new master fee schedule for city-wide user fees is hereby
8 amended to revise Part IX: Fire Department, SECTION 7. No fees established in the previous
9 master fee resolution, Resolution No. 2008-149, are being modified by this resolution.
10
SECTION 2. Part IX: Fire Department, SECTION 7 is hereby rescinded and replaced
11
with the following new SECTION 7:
12
13 "SECTION 7. The following fees and charges shall be collected by the Fire
14 Department for emergency medical services:
15 A. User fees:
16 1. Emergencies requiring Basic Life Support services by paramedics and Emergency
17 Medical Technicians: $200.00/call
18 2. Emergencies requiring Advanced Life Support services by paramedics: $200.00/call
19
B. Exemptions to user fees: The following persons are not subject to the above user fees:
20
21 1. Residents 65 years of age or older who qualify for the low-income utility tax
22 exemption pursuant to Section 3.44.144 of the Municipal Code.
23 2. Residents who qualify for the low-income utility tax exemption pursuant to Section
24 3.44.144 of the Municipal Code.
25 C. Voluntary membership fees: $24.00 per year per household, due on June 1 of each year,
26 covers all permanent residents of a household.
27
28 D. Delinquency Fees: Delinquent accounts for user fees shall be charged an additional 15%
delinquency fee on the balance due.
1
RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
1 SAN BERNARDINO AMENDING THE CITY'S MASTER FEE SCHEDULE,
RESOLUTION NUMBER 2008-149 ADJUSTING THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL
2 SERVICES (EMS) USER FEES.
3
4 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the Mayor and
5 Common Council of the City of San Bernardino at a meeting thereof, held on
6 the day of , 2008, by the following vote, to wit:
7 COUNCIL MEMBERS: AYES NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT
8
ESTRADA
9
BAXTER
10
BRINKER
11
DERRY
12
13 KELLEY
14 JOHNSON
15 MCCAMMACK
16
17
Rachel G. Clark, City Clerk
18 City of San Bernardino
19
20
The foregoing Resolution is hereby approved this day of 52008.
21
22
23 Patrick J. Morris, Mayor
24 City of San Bernardino
25 Approved as to form:
26 JAMES F. PENMAN, City Attorney
27
By:
28
2