Clear Lake council to consider second reading of ordinance changing ambulance rates

CLEAR LAKE — The Clear Lake City Council tonight will consider the second reading of an ordinance that would make adjustments in user fees for the city’s ambulance service.

The recommendation for the slight increases come from the city’s third-party billing administrator, PCC of West Bend, who has determined that the fees charged for the operation and maintenance of the ambulance service need to be raised to better offset the costs of the service. The increase will help close the gap between the city’s costs and the amount paid by Medicare and Medicaid.

The costs of non-emergency transport would stay steady, with the basic life support fee being $400 and the advanced life support fee being $600. Emergency transport with basic life support would go up from the current rate of $595 to $625, while emergency transport with advanced life support would go from the current $706 to $750.

Ambulance service at the “Advanced Life Support 2” level, which typically includes the administration of medically necessary services, would go up from $1023 to $1100. The “loaded mileage charge” would also increase a half-dollar to $13.50. If passed on all three readings, the new fee structure would go into effect on July 1st.

The council meets tonight at 6 o’clock at City Hall.