EMSA service may be added to Oklahoma City water bills
HealthPrice would start at $3.65 a month
BY BRYAN DEAN
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Published: December 1, 2008
Modified: November 30, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Modified: November 30, 2008 at 10:39 pm
An Emergency Medical Service Authority ambulance is shown at the EMSA operations facility, SW 23 and Walker, in Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma City Council will decide this month whether to charge residential water customers for ambulance service. photo by Paul B. Southerland, the oklahoman
Oklahoma City Council members will decide this month whether to charge residential water customers for ambulance service.
The proposal would likely cost each water customer $3.65 a month, unless they choose to opt out of the program. Following are questions and answers about the proposal, which is set for a final vote Dec. 16. Q: What will residents get for their $3.65 a month? A: They will be automatically enrolled in TotalCare, the Emergency Medical Service Authority’s program which covers all out-of-pocket expenses for an ambulance ride. Q: When will the program begin? A: Assuming the proposal wins council approval, it will begin Oct. 1, after the city’s new utility billing system goes online. Q: Can residents choose not to pay the fee? A: Yes. There will be an opt-out period from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30. Those who choose to opt out will not be covered by TotalCare. All residential water customers will be automatically enrolled unless they opt out. Q: What is the cost of an ambulance ride for those not enrolled in TotalCare? A: In EMSA’s Western Division, which includes Oklahoma City and 11 suburbs, the current price is $720. The council will likely raise that price to $1,100, the same price Tulsa charges, to keep the monthly fee down for those who enroll in TotalCare. The actual cost of providing an ambulance ride is more than $2,000, EMSA officials said. Q: Will apartments and other multifamily residences be included? A: Yes. Landlords will have the option to opt out, and must inform residents in writing of their choice. Those whose landlords choose to opt out can pay for a TotalCare membership on their own at the same price as residential water customers. Q: Are other cities using similar subscription services? A: Yes. Oklahoma City is essentially copying the idea from Tulsa, where more than 90 percent of residents are enrolled in EMSA’s TotalCare program through their monthly water bill. Burbank, Calif., Odessa, Texas, and Pinellas County, Fla., are a few communities that are using similar subscription programs. Q: Will the $3.65 fee go up in the future? A: Maybe. The cost of providing ambulance service continues to rise. City officials believe the $3.65 fee will cover costs until at least 2012. After that, the council will decide whether to raise the subscription fee for water customers or raise the cost of an ambulance ride for those who opt out.
Related Topics:
Health and Fitness, Medicine, Politics, Medical Specializations, Emergency Medicine, Local Politics
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