Item B: Ambulance Fund Stabilization

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ATTACHMENT 1 contributing to the problem. One is the growing percent of population eligible for Medicare. The other is the economy. Regional providers do not refuse transport because of inability to pay and are being forced to write-off more and more bills as uncollectible and the percent of under- and uninsured increases. TASK FORCE PARTICIPANTS In October of 2011, the Task Force began meeting on a bi-weekly basis. The Task Force consists of the following elected officials: Eugene City Councilor Andrea Ortiz Eugene City Councilor Mike Clark Springfield City Councilor Sean VanGordon Springfield City Councilor Marilee Woodrow Lane County Commissioner Jay Bozievich Lane Rural Board Vice President Pete Holmes Lane Rural Board Member Jim Drew ****** The attached report from the Task Force provides additional background and a series of options, which are: Do nothing. 1. Jurisdictions would remain responsible for providing and funding ambulance transport within its assigned Ambulance Service Areas (ASA). Under this option, jurisdictions recognize stabilizing the fund could require additional fee increases, continued reduction in expenditures, change in service levels, and/or on-going General Fund support for the continued high-quality provision of this core service. The elected bodies could choose to make General Fund support the permanent solution to the problem. However, the Task Force believes that, for the sake of preserving other local government services to the greatest extent possible, General Fund support should be viewed only as a short-term solution. Privatize. 2. The Cities of Eugene and Springfield currently contract with a private provider for non-emergency transport. Under this contract, the Cities remain responsible for the service provided within the ASA. Under full privatization, the public would not only relinquish quality control, but also the emergency response versatility afforded by the firefighter/paramedics now staffing local ambulances. The goal would be to find the equilibrium point between these two ends of the public/private partnership spectrum. Form Ambulance Transport District. 3. A new limited special-purpose district could be formed in the region, or the region could annex to an existing health district, to provide ambulance service. Alternatively, a county service district could be established. In planning for formation of, or annexation to, a special district, many further, more specific decisions will be needed including boundary issues, revenue requirements, and the possibility of tax rate compression. An election will be required.