A lot of you are probably wondering why the topic of ambulance service is still being reviewed here in Logan County. Fair question. The answer though lies in a number of very complex issues that are all being carefully examined by a multi-disciplinary task force that has been meeting weekly since September of 2010.
To get down to the most simple of answers to that question though; the biggest issue really centers around the ability to financially sustain the current level of service being provided by Life Care Ambulance. The call volume and the reimbursement and collection rates on billings are just such that it has grown increasingly difficult for a private company to afford to continue to do business using this model. Reimbursement rates from Medicare and insurance have gone down, and its likely that trend will continue – and this situation only continues to make things worse for EMS providers across the country – especially small private providers like we have here in Logan County (Sterling is the smallest community in Colorado with this type of system in place). In order for private ambulance services to be profitable, they must run a significantly higher number of calls than what is possible in a rural area. Even the very largest and most financially sound private EMS companies only have a 2-3% profit margin.
The current system has been examined now on three different occasions: First, with the 2009 campaign to join EMS with the Sterling Fire Department to create a separate organization that would manage both services. The second review came a year ago as a group of experts were brought together from around the state through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, to do an independent review and assessment of the current system – their report was finalized last summer. And finally, the current task force has thoroughly reviewed both of the first two efforts, as well as separately examining the current system in comparison with others across Colorado. It is universally agreed among task force members that a change is necessary.
The current task force is made up of people who have a great deal of respect for each other and who are all working towards coming up with the most sensible solution for everyone in the county. There are 14 voting members and a number of other folks who attend to provide their expertise and insight. Agencies represented include Life Care Ambulance, Sterling Regional MedCenter, Logan County and City of Sterling, rural fire protection districts (Sterling, Fleming, Crook, Peetz, Merino), Logan County Office of Emergency Management, Sterling Fire Department, Northeast Colorado Health Department and the Northeast RETAC (Regional EMS/Trauma Advisory Council).
At this point, the task force is still weighing various options and methods for providing the best service possible, as well as a number of different funding options with possibilities that include creating a self-sustaining organization, up to potential support from the taxpayers if needed, by means of either a sales tax or property tax.
At a recent meeting, the current owner of Life Care Ambulance made a motion that the task force look at forming a governmental authority – permitted under state statute and established through written agreements between two or more governments. The nature of the authority is what the group is still working on, with options on the table such as operating as a stand-alone EMS organization, combining the Sterling Fire Dept and EMS into one agency, or even the possibility of combining with adjacent counties to form a regionalized EMS service.
No matter how you slice it this undertaking is a difficult chore, but it is important for the citizens to know that while the members might come into this from different perspectives with differing ideas and concerns, all of the issues are being carefully weighed and debated and everyone is sincerely focused on trying to make the most sound decisions as we move forward. Our priority is to ensure a system is in place that will be most beneficial to the citizens when a crisis arises and they are in need of emergency care.
The task force genuinely thanks you for your interest in this important topic! Please make sure to check back each week for new notes on our progress as well as new meeting minutes (tab located at the top of the page). In the mean time, we are absolutely interested in your thoughts and questions, so feel free to post them here and we will work on getting you answers as swiftly as possible (see 'Comment Policy' to the right).
Dont forget to take a look at the comments that others have posted below for additional information -- and try to look through the responses from the task force before making additional posts in case your questions might have already been answered. We definitely want a free and open exchange of ideas, but we also dont want a crazy volume of traffic that becomes so cumbersome that viewers give up on following the blog.
Thank you!
