10/04/1978 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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-. ., Charles Strcng, Aging Cemmissicn member, said that as a private citizen he feels that prcviding medical services fcr prefit does not hcld down e medical costs. When ambulance service is needed, no other service will do. He feels the service cculd be provided by a public .organization as increases in rates will continue to be requested. He said it is time tc consider a non-profit public service. Jean Freeman, Aging Commission member, ccmmented that the Commission .on the Rights of Aging voted unanimcusly to .oppose both the Medical Services Request and the Finance Department reccmmendaticn and call for nc increase. She said if a raise in rates is sanctioned, it will put the service farther out of reach fcr mcst seniors. She said the Commission also voted tc request that Council immediately conduct a feasibility study .on implementing a less ccstly ambulance service than the present one. She noted that there are systems in Albany, Oregon, Los Angeles, Califernia, and Seattle, Washingtcn, operated by fire departments and reported to be very cost effective. She alsc ccmmented that on the Gray Panther issue, they issue only a limited number .of cards, and when thcse are used up no more are issued. Mr. Delay referred te the study he did on the issue and said that the .only conclusion he has come to is that City involvement in the rate- setting business puts it in a positien of seeing that the service is satisfactcry and the rates are reascnable. He thinks the infor- maticn given by Mr. Leonard does nct give the City the entire picture. It is true that the increases have outstripped the Consumer Price Index. He is alsc ccncerned that, during a period of time when it is argued e that the increase is necessary, Mr. Leonard has presented a capital expansion prcgram. A question arises whether capital expansion is needed or justified. Mr. Delay said that the expansion of the facilities coincides with present fire station locations, and he thinks that the City shculd explore how to stabilize the rate. Perhaps sharing space could represent a ccst savings. He said there is no rationale that an increase is needed at this time. He says it is also incumbent upcn Council to ccme back by the end of the year with a prcposal for ways to take a look at these questions. Mr. Hamel feel s that the Council shoul d have more input. Mr. Obie said he suppcrts a definitive process fer determining rate increases. He feels that a rate increase should be either refused or accepted at this point, rather than postponed, and that a study shculd take place tc affect next year's increase request. There should alsc be a planning program on joint locatien of services. Mr. Williams said he dces not think that rates can be set without an opinion audit. He supports the formation of a committee to take a look at what it is buying. "You can't dc everything that is desirable because you can't affcrd it," he said. Manager noted that one .other element is that such a task force should be intergovernmental, involving at least Springfield, and possibly Lane County as well. e 10/4/78--6 ~58