The City of Eugene is preparing to raise its fee for basic ambulance service to $1,600, which is the same rate charged by Springfield Fire & Life Safety. Currently, Eugene Fire & EMS charges a base transportation fee of $1,150.
The public is welcome to comment on the proposed rate increase at a hearing to be held on June 11 at 6 pm in the Learning Resource Center at Fire & EMS headquarters. [Note: Written comments may be submitted to the Eugene City Recorder’s Office until 5 pm on Friday, June 19.]
Raising the rates “is only a stopgap measure until we can find a more permanent solution” to revenue shortfalls plaguing ambulance services throughout the United States, according to Eugene Deputy Fire Chief Denise Giard.
Reductions in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to ambulance providers have made it virtually impossible to continue to provide advanced life support transport services on a self-sustaining basis, Giard said. Also, there is no general tax support provided to ambulance operations, so existing revenue stream is no longer sufficient to fully support ambulance operations.
If approved, the rate increase for Eugene will be effective in July.
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