By Joanne Huist Smith
Dayton Daily News (Ohio)
Copyright 2007 Dayton Newspapers, Inc.
DAYTON, Ohio — When it comes to EMS service, the city of Dayton has a problem: It’s expensive and most people aren’t paying their bills.
The cost to provide emergency (fire and medical) services in Dayton gobbles up about one-fifth of the city’s general-fund budget, a projected $36 million for 2007. And medic units - by far - are the busiest crews in the Dayton Fire Department’s fleet.
The city began charging for emergency medical services in 1994 and has collected $33.6 million in fees since then, with an average yearly collection rate of 44.7 percent.
The city could do better at those collections, according to a group of citizens who review the city’s budget and make recommendations.
“When we instituted the EMS fee, the city commission made it clear that they didn’t want it to be a burden on the poor, and I agree with that,” Jim Lindsey, a member of the Citizens Financial Review Group, said. "(But) we have citizenry who can afford to pay for the service who are not.”
Fees range from $430 to $890 depending on the level of service, plus $10 per mile, said the city’s finance director Cheryl Garrett, who has been charged with studying the collection process.
“All we’re asking is that you look at the system and tweak it,” Lindsey said. “We believe there are opportunities to increase revenue to the fire department, and a prime candidate is EMS service.”
The city goes after fees from insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid, but doesn’t pursue collections in civil court from people who don’t have a third party to pay the bill. “I think there are ways we can get more aggressive but still be sensitive to people who can’t pay our bill,” Dayton City Manager Rashad Young said. Jefferson Twp. has a billing policy similar to Dayton for its residents, but pursues collections for nonresidents that use the service. Ultimately, the Dayton city commission will decide whether to change the policy. Commissioner Dean Lovelace said he worries that the change would put another burden on the poor. “I don’t want us hassling people who don’t have insurance and who are already living on the margin,” he said.