HomeMy WebLinkAbout96-42 - Paramedic Service FeesRESOLUTION NO. 96 -42
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 desires to provide
Emergency Ambulance Transportation Services as a component of a
comprehensive EMS system; 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 a portion of
the cost of providing emergency medical and paramedic services; and
• WHEREAS, informal surveys suggest that 50% of the calls for
emergency medical services are from non - residents; and
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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
• 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 emergency medical service and
emergency ambulance transportation service within Newport Beach and
in neighboring jurisdictions pursuant to mutual aid agreements.
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 this program is to
establish reasonable charges for all recipients of Basic Life
Support, Advanced Life Support and emergency ambulance
transportation services provided by the Newport Beach Fire and
Marine Department and offer a mechanism for residents and
businesses to cap their emergency medical service and emergency
ambulance transportation costs while supporting the City's
paramedic system. The fees and charges authorized by this
resolution are intended to defray the costs of providing paramedic
and emergency ambulance transportation 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 emergency medical services and emergency
ambulance transportation 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.
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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" by
as specified 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)
"Paramedic Subscription Program or Program" shall mean a
voluntary membership where members shall prepay at a
fixed price, the uninsured portion of emergency medical
and emergency ambulance transportation services provided
by the Newport Beach Fire and Marine Department.
(d)
"Member" shall mean any person eligible to participate
in the Paramedic Subscription Program and for whom the
Subscription Fee has been paid.
(e)
"Resident Member" shall mean any person eligible to
participate in the Paramedic 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 Paramedic 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
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the Paramedic Subscription Program and receive BLS, ALS
or emergency ambulance transportation services without
payment of Normal Charges.
(h) "Non- member" shall mean any person who is not eligible
to participate in the Paramedic Subscription Program or
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any eligible person for whom the Subscription Fee has
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not been paid.
(i)
"Normal Charges" or "Charges" shall mean the fee to be
paid by any Non - member who receives BLS, ALS or
emergency ambulance transportation services initiated
within the City of Newport Beach and the fees to be paid
by Business Members who receive BLS, ALS, or emergency
ambulance transportation services initiated 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.
(n)
"Emergency ambulance transportation services" means
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transportation by an ambulance of one or more patients
in response to an emergency giving rise to the need for
basic or advanced life support services. This
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transportation may require Code 3 response (red lights
and siren).
SECTION 3: Payment for Services. Non- members receiving BLS,
ALS, or emergency ambulance transportation services within the City
• of Newport Beach shall pay Normal Charges as specified in this
Resolution. In no event shall any person be denied BLS, ALS, or
emergency ambulance transportation services because of the
inability, or failure, to pay the Paramedic Subscription Fee or
Normal Charges required by this Resolution. Members receiving BLS,
ALS, or emergency ambulance transportation services within the City
of Newport Beach shall have their payment for services adjusted as
described under Member Benefits.
SECTION 4: Paramedic Subscription Program.
A. Eligibility. The Paramedic Subscription Program is open
to residents, businesses, and employees of businesses located
within the City of Newport Beach and other persons deemed eligible
by regulation promulgated by the City Manager.
B. Enrollment. Any eligible person who enrolls shall become
a member immediately upon receipt of payment. The member shall not
be required to pay the Normal charges for emergency medical care
and emergency ambulance transportation services for the next 12
months.
C. Member Benefits. Member's subscription fee is considered
as prepayment of the uninsured portion of BLS charges, ALS charges,
and emergency ambulance transportation charges.
D. Paramedic Subscription Fees.
• (i) The annual Paramedic Subscription Fee for a
Resident Member shall be $42.00 for 12 months'
coverage;
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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:
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(ii)
The annual Paramedic Subscription Fee for a
In the event a Municipal Services Statement is
Business Member shall be $42.00 for 12 months'
Member, the payment of that portion of the
coverage, provided, however, for businesses with
annual Paramedic Subscription Fee on or before
more than the Business Member and ten eligible
(ii) Paramedic Subscription Fees for Business Members
shall
employees, the annual Subscription Fee shall be an
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The payment of the required annual Paramedic
additional $12.00 for each additional group of up
to to
Subscription Fees upon enrollment or renewal;
(b)
ten employees, a maximum of $210.00.
E. Payment
of Fees.
portion of the annual Paramedic Subscription
(i)
Paramedic Subscription Fees for Resident Members
on or before the due date shown on the
shall be paid as follows:
(a) The payment of $42.00 upon enrollment or
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:
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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 Paramedic Subscription Fee on or before
the due date shown on the statement.
(ii) Paramedic Subscription Fees for Business Members
shall
be paid as follows:
(a)
The payment of the required annual Paramedic
Subscription Fees upon enrollment or renewal;
(b)
In the event a Municipal Services Statement is
sent to the workplace, the payment of that
portion of the annual Paramedic 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:
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(i) The City Council of the City of Newport Beach
terminates or modifies the Paramedic
Subscription Program through rescission or
amendment of this Resolution, or a successor
resolution, in which event the City shall
• refund, on a prorata basis, the unused portion
of the Member's Paramedic Subscription Fee;
(ii) Failure to pay the Paramedic Subscription Fee
on or before the due date shown on the
Municipal Services Statement. Membership may
be reinstated if, at any time the Paramedic
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
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
cost plus 30 percent.
(d) These charges shall be adjusted on July 1, 1994, and on
the ist 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
ist and terminating March 30th) preceding the adjustment
date.
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(e) For emergencies requiring emergency ambulance
transportation services, the City Council shall by
resolution establish a schedule of rates which shall be
applicable to all ambulance operators as identified in
Section 5.14.090 of the Newport Beach Municipal Code.
SECTION 6: Implementation. The City Manager shall have the
authority to promulgate regulations necessary or appropriate to the
administration of the Paramedic 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: Resolution No. 94 -98 is hereby repealed and
rescinded.
ADOPTED, this 24th day of June , 1996.
ATTEST:
City Clerk
F:3
A'U
MAYOR