(a) A fee shall be charged by the City for each person receiving emergency medical service from the City as follows:
(1) Basic Life Support (BLS) emergency transport one way - $650 plus $15.00 per mile.
(2) Advanced Life Support (ALS) emergency transport one way - $850 plus $15.00 per mile.
(3) Advanced Life Support II (ALS) emergency transport one way - $1000.00 plus $15.00 per mile. (Ord. 2018-190. Passed 12-11-18.)
(b) The Mayor may enter into an agreement on behalf of the City to engage the services of a billing and collection company which shall submit claims on behalf of the City to provide insurers and/or the Federal Health Care Program of Medicare and Medicaid and shall issue bills to persons using emergency medical services for such amounts not covered by insurance only to the extent provided herein. Each person who uses emergency medical services provided by the City shall assign any insurance proceeds available to such person to the City.
(c) The Finance Director is authorized and instructed to collect fees for emergency medical services provided by the City and, as provided herein, to establish rules and regulations for such collection from any person, person’s insurance company, or Medicare and shall issue bills and collect fees to the extent provided herein. The Fire Chief has authority to waive the fee, or any portion thereof, if he determines the person is indigent or otherwise unable to pay for said services.
(d) The Finance Director shall not bill or attempt to collect from any resident of the City of Independence any amount in excess of the amount paid by said individual’s medical insurance provider, or Medicare, including but not limited to any co-payment or deductible.
(e) The Finance Director shall not bill or attempt to collect from any individual employed within the City any amount in excess of the amount paid by said individual’s medical insurance provider, or Medicare, including but not limited to any co-payment or deductible.
(f) When emergency medical services are provided by the City personnel to persons outside the City limits pursuant to a mutual aid agreement or understanding with another municipality as provided in Section 143.17
, the City shall bill such person in accordance with the practices of the requesting municipality. When emergency medical services are provided within the City by personnel of another municipality pursuant to a mutual aid agreement or understanding, such person shall be billed in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(g) Hereby created is the "Capital Projects Fund." All fees collected under this section shall be deposited by the City into the general fund with the first initial $250,000 annually being transferred to the Capital Projects Fund, to be used by the Independence Police and Fire Departments for the repair, replacement and purchase of equipment or other fixed assets. (Ord. 2012-19. Passed 6-12-12.)