Moses Lake ambulance cost discussed

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake utility fee payers expressed support and criticism about the recent ambulance service fee increase in a special study session.

Mayor Jon Lane called for the session to explore other ambulance service options, which is currently being serviced by an 18-member team from the Moses Lake Fire Department.

Council did not take any action at the study session.

The fire department's ambulance service is projected to cost $2.6 million to operate this year, according to city documents.

The service has a deficit of roughly $750,000 from 2010 ambulance operating expenses, stated city manager Joe Gavinski.

Moses Lake City Council approved an $8.25 per month ambulance utility fee in late December to help pay for the continuation of the fire department's ambulance service operation, in addition to paying off the $750,000 loan borrowed from water and sanitation funds.

Prior to the fee increase, utility fee account holders were charged $4.70 per month to pay for the ambulance service.

Councilmembers decided to increase the general fund contributions from $73,500 to $252,800 per year.

Gavinski stated the city would not have an ambulance service debt if the city were able to collect full fees from Medicare, Medicaide, insurance and out-of-pocket individuals using the service.

"If we collected every penny of the ambulance services' fees, we would be able to pay off the ambulance fund without a problem," he told councilmembers.

But the Moses Lake Fire Department is not being fully reimbursed for ambulance service, said Gavinski in an interview.

The utility fee and general fund contribution are needed to maintain the service, he added.

Some utility fee payers questioned the fairness of the rate increase.

"I'm not against the ambulance service, but I think more money needs to come out of the general fund. The primary function of government is to protect its people," said Moses Lake resident Chris Nilsen. "You have the same rate apply for someone living in a $40,000 trailer home versus someone living in a $400,000 home."

In a response to a question asked by Nilsen, Gavinski said a company like REC pays the same $8.25 monthly utility fee as a single-home account holder would.

"The fee system is just not equitable," said Nilsen.

Hollie Matthews, who works as a doctor at the Moses Lake Clinic, supported the ambulance service.

"I am coming and talking on behalf of the thousands of patients who live within the city limits, who I have to send to the hospital using the ambulance service. What is the cost of a life? Of grandma having to roll over to call the ambulance because she could not get to her panic button?" said Matthews.

She said she did not support privatizing the ambulance service.

"When I lived in Olympia, we had a company called AMR. We called it 'ain't my responsibility.' The people there get paid $8 an hour and they just don't care. It's a stepping stone for most of them. They are out of there in less than two years. But that is not the case with the (Moses Lake) firefighters," she said. "When my 19-year-old nephew dropped his blood pressure to 64, it was one of the most scariest moments of my life. But the firefighters had him talking to them before he got to the hospital."

Matthews said she does not live within city limits.

A total of eight people spoke at the study session.

Opposition to the utility fee increase highlighted such issues as the low percentage of successful city-operated ambulance services.

"The statistics ... say of the 280 cities in Washington state, only 28 cities are sponsoring an ambulance service. Why are we doing a service that more than 90 percent other cities cannot afford?" asked Bob McDonald.

James Irwin, who is a physician, spoke about the service he received when he recently fell.

"If I fall again, I'm going to call the Moses Lake ambulance service to get me. If we look at a private option, we will not get the same service. The present service really does an excellent job," said Irwin.

The mayor said he thought the study session provided a good way for citizens to find out more about the ambulance service.

"We have a highly skilled ambulance service. But we are going to continue to look at out-of-town transports and other ways to help with balancing the fund. We need to look at how those transports impact manpower," said Lane.