By Riley Yates
The Intelligencer
Copyright 2007 The Intelligencer
BUCKINGHAM, Pa. — A proposal to underwrite ambulance service in Buckingham won the tentative support of supervisors on Wednesday, as part of a proposed budget for 2008.
The $15.5 million budget includes $240,000 to purchase ambulance subscriptions for every household in Buckingham, a novel idea that aims to help Central Bucks Ambulance and Rescue Unit, while also providing a benefit for residents.
The subscriptions would guarantee residents never receive a bill for an ambulance trip, while shoring up the lagging finances of Central Bucks, proponents said. Under the proposal, the company would give every household a subscription card.
Central Bucks would be allowed to charge the insurance of the people it picks up, but would agree to waive trying to recoup anything directly from the patient.
“We really have an obligation as a community to save them so they can save us,” said Supervisor Chairman Henry Rowan. “If they’re not there when you need them, you may be dead.”
Central Bucks and ambulance companies across the region have struggled with finances amid rising costs and falling fundraising and insurance reimbursements. The subscription effort is a model that ambulance officials hope will be taken up by other municipalities.
“The plan of this township is the first of its kind and you have a lot of people wondering how it’s going to work out,” said Central Bucks Ambulance Chief Chuck Pressler.
The proposal was unveiled as part of next year’s overall budget, which includes money for general government, fire protection and emergency management, open space, parks, highways and capital purchases, along with the township’s self-supporting water and sewer funds.
Supervisors voted to post the budget, a step toward its final adoption.
General fund spending falls 1.7 percent, to $7.8 million, thanks to department heads who managed to spend less than their allocations this year, officials said. Indeed, the budget attempts to try to draw down hefty surpluses on the township’s books, spending $1.2 million of an extra $4.7 million that has been built up.
“We never, ever hit our budget projections,” said township manager Ray Stepnoski. “We’re always under budget each year.”
The ambulance subscriptions will be paid for through surplus. In the spring, supervisors said voters will be asked whether they support continuing the idea next year.
Supervisor Maggie Rash, who has raised doubts, said she was fine with including the money in the budget.
A former candidate for supervisor questioned the timing, as Rowan is seeking to remain in his seat in a hotly contested race with challenger Jeff Haberkern.
“This is awful close to something that’s coming up. Something that’s called an election,” said John Cunningham, who lost to Haberkern in the primary.