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HomeMy WebLinkAbout95-56 - Paramedic Service FeesRESOLUTION NO. 95 -56 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH APPROVING PARAMEDIC SERVICE FEES PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 5.60 OF THE NEWPORT BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE. WHEREAS, the City Council is authorized, pursuant to Chapter 5.60 of the Newport Beach Municipal Code, to establish, by resolution, fees and charges for the provision of paramedic or emergency medical services; and WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach has, since 1975, maintained and operated a paramedic service program designed to provide emergency medical services for residents of, employees in, or visitors to, Newport Beach; and WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach currently maintains two paramedic units and also provides emergency medical services by way of the fire engine closest to the call for service; and WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach, through mutual aid agreements, provides emergency medical services to, and receives emergency medical services from, nearby public entities such as Costa Mesa, Irvine and the County of Orange; and WHEREAS, General Fund revenues currently defray the entire cost of providing emergency medical and paramedic services; and WHEREAS, informal surveys suggest that 50e of the calls for emergency medical services are from non - residents; and WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach faces significant and long • term reductions in revenue and may be forced to reduce its capability to provide paramedic and emergency medical services in the absence of the fees authorized by this Resolution; and 3 WHEREAS, the revenue generated by the fees established by this Resolution will defray only a portion of the actual costs of providing paramedic and emergency medical service in the City of Newport Beach; and • WHEREAS, the revenue generated by the fees established in this Resolution will be used solely to maintain and enhance the City's ability to provide paramedic and emergency medical service within Newport Beach and in neighboring jurisdictions pursuant to mutual aid agreements. WHEREAS, the Fire Department has had 15 months of experience in the administration of the Paramedic Fee Program, and is desirous to make these changes to improve administration of the Program for the membership. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Newport Beach as follows: SECTION 1: Purpose. This Resolution establishes a paramedic service fee program. The basic concept of the program is to establish reasonable charges for the provision of emergency medical services and to allow residents and businesses to receive these services at a greatly reduced rate through subscriptions. The fees and charges authorized by this Resolution will help defray, but do not totally fund, the costs of providing paramedic and emergency medical services within the City of Newport Beach. The fees and charges authorized by this Resolution shall be used solely to maintain and enhance the City's ability to provide paramedic and emergency medical services. In the absence of the paramedic service fee program, paramedic and emergency medical services could be curtailed or eliminated given the significant long term reductions in municipal revenue occasioned by State withholding of property tax revenues traditionally allocated to cities and counties. 2 SECTION 2: Definitions. For the purposes of this Resolution, the following terms shall be defined as provided in this Section: (a) "Advanced Life Support or ALS" shall mean any advanced life support medical treatment performed by paramedics (EMT -P) outside of a hospital. This treatment shall follow the current "Advanced Life Support Treatment Guidelines" as specified by the Orange County Emergency Medical Services Agency. (b) "Basic Life Support or BLS" shall mean any basic life support treatment which is authorized by the State of California Department of Health to be performed by emergency medical technicians 1 (EMT -1) and /or paramedics (EMT -P) at the scene of a medical emergency. (c) "Subscription Program or Program" shall mean the plan specified in Section 4 of this Resolution pursuant to which members have the right to receive ALS or BLS within the City and /or at the workplace without payment of Normal Charges. (d) "Member" shall mean any person eligible to participate in the Subscription Program and for whom the Subscription Fee has been paid. (e) "Resident Member" shall mean any person eligible to participate in the Subscription Program because of their status as a resident in the City of Newport Beach and for whom the Subscription Fee has been paid. (f) "Business Member" shall mean any person eligible to participate in the Subscription Program because they are the owner, operator, employee or volunteer of a business located in the City of Newport Beach, and for whom the Subscription Fee has been paid. • (g) "Subscription Fee" shall mean the annual fee, as established by resolution of the City Council which, when paid, entitles eligible persons to participate in the Subscription Program and receive BLS or ALS without 3 payment of Normal Charges. (h) "Non- member" shall mean any person who is not eligible to participate in the Subscription Program or any eligible person for whom the Subscription Fee has not been paid. (i) "Normal Charges" or "Charges" shall mean the fee to be • paid by any Non - member who receives ALS or BLS within the City of Newport Beach and the fees to be paid by Business Members who receive ALS or BLS within the City of Newport Beach at a location other than their workplace. (j) "Municipal Services Statement" shall mean the bill for water, sewer and other municipal services issued by the City of Newport Beach on a bi- monthly basis. (k) "Business" shall mean any corporation, partnership, company, business, association, organization or other entity with a workplace located in the City of Newport Beach. (1) "Employee" shall mean the owner, operator, employee or volunteer of any Business who spends at least 50% of their normal work time in the workplace located in the City of Newport Beach. (m) "Medical Supplies" shall mean all non - reusable supplies used by patients during ALS or BLS treatment, including but not limited to; IV, tubing and solution, airways, cervical collars, pain medications or other drugs. SECTION 3: Payment for Services. Persons receiving ALS or BLS within the City of Newport Beach shall pay the Subscription Fee or Normal Charges as specified in this Resolution. In no event shall any person be denied ALS or BLS because of the inability, or failure, to pay the Subscription Fee or Normal Charges required by this Resolution. SECTION 4: Subscription Program. A. Eligibility. The following persons shall be eligible for participation in the Subscription Program: CJ P • C (i) Persons who are permanent residents of dwelling units in the City of Newport Beach; (ii) The employees of any business located in the City of Newport Beach, provided, however, the owner, operator, employer or volunteer spends at least 50c of their normal work time at the Newport Beach workplace; (iii)Such other persons deemed eligible by regulation promulgated by the City Manager. Enrollment. Persons eligible to be members of the Subscription Program and who receive Municipal Services Statements from the City of Newport Beach shall be enrolled upon execution of a subscription enrollment card and payment of that portion of the Subscription Fee shown on the Municipal Services Statement on or before the due date shown on the statement. Persons eligible for membership in the Subscription Program may enroll at anytime by signing the subscription enrollment card and paying the annual Subscription Fee. Any eligible person who enrolls shall become a member immediately upon payment and the Member shall be entitled to receive ALS and BLS without payment of Normal Charges during the next 12 months. Upon expiration of the 12 month period, billing for renewal shall be automatic through the Municipal Services' statement and membership may continue unless terminated as provided in Section 4(f). Member Benefits. (i) Enrollment by one permanent resident of any dwelling unit shall entitle the Resident Member and all other permanent residents of that dwelling unit 5 :7 to receive ALS or BLS without charge at any time so long as the ALS or BLS response is provided within the corporate limits of the City of Newport Beach. (ii) Enrollment by a Business Member shall entitle the Business Member and those employees enrolled for whom the appropriate Subscription Fee has been • paid, to receive ALS or BLS without charge so long as the ALS or BLS the response is provided at the workplace. D. Subscription Fees. (i) The annual Subscription Fee for a Resident Member shall be $42.00 for 12 months' coverage; (ii) The annual Subscription Fee for a Business Member shall be $42.00 for 12 months' coverage, provided, however, for businesses with more than the Business Member and ten eligible employees, the annual Subscription Fee shall be an additional $12.00 for each additional group of up to ten employees, to a maximum of $210.00. E. Payment of Fees. (i) Subscription Fees for Resident Members shall be paid as follows: (a) The payment of $42.00 upon enrollment or renewal; (b) In the event a Municipal Services Statement is sent to the dwelling unit of the Resident Member, the payment of that portion of the annual Subscription Fee on or before the due date shown on the statement. (ii) Subscription Fees for Business Members shall be paid as follows: • (a) The payment of the required annual Subscription Fees upon enrollment or renewal; (b) In the event a Municipal Services Statement is sent to the workplace, the payment of that :7 portion of the annual Subscription Fee shown on the Municipal Services Statement on or before the due date shown on the statement. (iii) Health insurance carriers for resident and business members will also be billed for • charges for replacement of medical supplies at cost plus 30 percent. F. Termination of Membership. Membership may terminate in the event of any of the following: (i) The City Council of the City of Newport Beach terminates or modifies the Subscription charge shall Program through rescission or amendment of this Resolution, or a successor resolution, in For which event the City shall refund, on a requiring ALS by paramedics, the charge prorata basis, the unused portion of the Member's Subscription Fee; (ii) Failure to pay the subscription fee on or (c) before the due date shown on the Municipal replacement Services Statement. Membership may be reinstated if, at any time the Subscription Fee for that Member is paid. (iii) The member gives written notification of cancellation. Fees paid will not be refunded unless written cancellation is received within two weeks from payment of the subscription fees. SECTION 5: Normal Charges. The charges for rendering emergency medical services to Non - members shall be as specified in rl this Section: (a) For emergencies requiring BLS by paramedics and /or EMT -1, • the charge shall be $150.00 per response; (b) For emergencies requiring ALS by paramedics, the charge shall be $250.00 per response; (c) For replacement of medical supplies the charge shall be rl • cost plus 30 percent. (d) These charges cover only the delivery of ALS or BLS and do not include the cost of emergency ambulance transportation to the hospital. (e) These charges shall be adjusted on July 1, 1994, and on the 1st of July of each succeeding year to reflect the increase or decrease in the Consumer Price Index, as more clearly specified in regulations adopted by the City Manager, for each 12 month period (commencing April 1st and terminating March 30th) preceding the adjustment date. SECTION 6: Implementation. The City Manager shall have the authority to promulgate regulations necessary or appropriate to the administration of the Subscription Program, the provision of services described in this Resolution, or the billing or collection of charges due for the provision of emergency medical services. SECTION 7: rescinded. Resolution No. 94 -98 is hereby repealed and ADOPTED, this 12th day of ATTEST: L 2 MAYOR 1995.