Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout97-31 - Paramedic Service FeesRESOLUTION NO. 97 -31 • 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 1 Res 97 -31 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 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 and 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: 2 Res 97 -31 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 and 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. 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 W Res 97 -31 (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) "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 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 guest, or visitor of 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, customer • J Res 97 -31 or volunteer of a business located in the City of isNewport 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 Paramedic Subscription Program and receive BLS, ALS, ar emergency ambulance transportation services, or other benefits as approved by the City Council without payment of Normal Charges. (h) "Non- member" shall mean any person who is not eligible to participate in the Paramedic Subscription Program or any eligible person for whom the Subscription Fee has isnot 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. • 3 Res 97 -31 (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) "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. (m) "Emergency ambulance transportation services" means 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 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 or 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. • Res 97 -31 SECTION 4: Paramedic Subscription Program. • A. Eliaibility. The Paramedic Subscription Program is open to residents and 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. Members, guests, customers, patrons, visitors, or others using the facilities of a member's household or business shall not be charged directly for emergency medical care and emergency ambulance transportation services if they agree to assign any applicable benefits of any insurance policy to the City for services provided. D. Paramedic Subscription Fees. • 7 Res 97 -31 (i) The annual Paramedic Subscription Fee for a • Resident Member shall be $42.00 for 12 months' • coverage; (ii) The annual Paramedic 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) Paramedic 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 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; • Res 97 -31 • 9 (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. 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 MembershiU. 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 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. • 9 Res 97 -31 (iii) The member gives written notification of • cancellation. Fees paid will be refunded upon request, on a prorated basis. 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 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. • (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. 10 Res 97 -31 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 14th day of April , 1997. • ATTEST: City Clerk u 11 E • STATE OF CALIFORNIA } COUNTY OF ORANGE } ss. CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH } I, LAVONNE M. HARKLESS, City Clerk of the City of Newport Beach, California, do hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council is seven; that the foregoing resolution, being Resolution No. 97 -31, was duly and regularly introduced before and adopted by the City Council of said City at a regular meeting of said Council, duly and regularly held on the 14th day of April, 1997, and that the same was so passed and adopted by the following vote, to wit: Ayes: O'Neil, Thomson, Edwards, Noyes, and Mayor Debay Noes: None Absent: Hedges, Glover Abstain: None IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the official seal of said City this 15th day of April, 1997. (Seal) City Clerk of the City of Newport Beach, California