HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 2024-008RESOLUTION NO. 2024-008
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM
DESERT, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING AND UPDATING THE CITY’S
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES BILLING PROGRAM FEE
SCHEDULE AND RELATED WRITE-OFF POLICY
WHEREAS, on January 11, 2018, the City of Palm Desert (“City”) City Council
approved and passed Resolution No. 2018 -03, which approved the City’s Emergency
Medical Services Billing Program Fee Schedule and Related Write -Off Policy; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of this policy is to develop cost recovery procedures
related to the costs incurred by the City for the provision of emergency medical services
to residents who reside both inside and outside City limits; and
WHEREAS, on October 8, 2023, the Governor signed AB 716 into law, which
requires that persons requiring emergency medical services only be responsible for the
in-network cost-sharing amount required by their health plan, and uninsured persons only
be charged the Medi-Cal or Medicare rate for the service; and
WHEREAS, AB 716 protects persons from having unpaid emergency medical
service bills sent to collections resulting in an adverse impact on their credit history for
the first twelve (12) months after the first billing notice; and
WHEREAS, the City’s Emergency Medical Services Billing Program Fee Schedule
and Related Write-Off Policy has been found to be in compliance with the requirements
set forth in AB 716; and
WHEREAS, an amendment and update to the City’s policy explicitly stating that
no outstanding balances will be forwarded to any collections agency until one (1) year
after the first billing notice is necessary to resolve any ambiguity as to the City policy’s
compliance with the requirements set forth in AB 716.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Palm
Desert, California, as follows:
SECTION 1. Incorporation of Recitals. The City Council finds and determines that
the recitals of this Resolution are true and correct and are hereby incorporated into this
Resolution as though fully set forth herein.
SECTION 2. Emergency Medical Services Billing Program Fee Schedule and
Related Write-Off Policy. The City Council hereby approves and adopts the updated
Emergency Medical Services Billing Program Fee Schedule and Related Write -Off Policy,
as attached hereto as Exhibit “A.”
DocuSign Envelope ID: 59034994-613A-496E-93E4-C7BADA30434E
Resolution No. 2024-008 Page 2
SECTION 3. Severability. If any section or provision of this Resolution is for any
reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, or
contravened by reason of any preemptive legislation, the remaining sections and/or
provisions of this Resolution shall remain valid. The City Council hereby declares that it
would have adopted this Resolution, and each section or provision thereof, regardless of
the fact that any one or more section(s) or provision(s) may be declared invalid or
unconstitutional or contravened via legislation.
SECTION 4. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon
its adoption.
ADOPTED ON MARCH 14, 2024.
KARINA QUINTANILLA
MAYOR
ATTEST:
ANTHONY J. MEJIA
CITY CLERK
I, Anthony J. Mejia, City Clerk of the City of Palm Desert, hereby certify that
Resolution No. 2024-008 is a full, true, and correct copy, and was duly adopted at a
regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Desert on March 14, 2024, by the
following vote:
AYES: HARNIK, KELLY, NESTANDE, TRUBEE, AND QUINTANILLA
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
RECUSED: NONE
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the
City of Palm Desert, California, on ___________________.
ANTHONY J. MEJIA
CITY CLERK
DocuSign Envelope ID: 59034994-613A-496E-93E4-C7BADA30434E
3/15/2024
Resolution No. 2024-008 Page 3
Exhibit “A”
Emergency Medical Services Billing Program Fee Schedule and Related Write-Off
Policy
Fee Schedule
Fee Description Fee Amount
Ambulance Transportation $1,450.00
Ambulance Mileage Rate $29.00 per mile
Non-Transport Fee $425.00
Oxygen $132.00
Extra Attendant $155.00
Wait Time — per 1/2 hour $82.20
First Responder/Pre-Stabilization $400.00
Basic Life Support (BLS) Disposable Supplies $303.75
Advanced Life Support (ALS) Disposable Supplies $382.00
Twelve (12) Lead EKG $285.00
Three (3) Lead EKG $156.48
Write-Off Policy
Patients that reside within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Cities of Palm Desert,
Rancho Mirage, and Indian Wells (Cove Communities) shall not be balanced billed.
The City accepts insurance payments as payments in full. All patients will receive
a maximum of four (4) insurance information request notices, should insurance not
be provided at the time of service. For those patients that reside outside of the
jurisdictional boundaries of the Cities of Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Indian
Wells, the City’s contracted EMS/ambulance billing company will send one balance
bill as required under law. Accounts that have had no activity for 90 days will be
deemed uncollectable at that time and will be written off. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in the event that the City deems it necessary to forward any outstanding
balances to a collections agency, said balance shall not be forwarded to any
collections agency until one (1) year after the first billing notice. Any patient without
insurance is deemed eligible for a financial hardship waiver; the City will write the
accounts off. All other billing aspects shall comply with state and federal law.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 59034994-613A-496E-93E4-C7BADA30434E