The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About3708 Ordinance ORDINANCE NO. 3-76O AN ORDINANCE of the City of Pasco, Washington, Amending Chapter 3.05 Entitled "Ambulance Service Fund," Adding a fee for Non- Transport Medical Services and Amending Section 3.07.010 Entitled "Ambulance" Establishing the Fees for Services. WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Pasco, has determined that certain additions and amendments regarding ambulance fees are warranted; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PASCO, WASHINGTON,DO HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. That Chapter 3.05 entitled "Ambulance Service Fund" of the Pasco Municipal Code shall be and hereby is amended and shall read as follows: CHAPTER 3.05 AMBULANCE SERVICE FUND Sections: 3.05.010 Definitions 3.05.020 Establishment Of Ambulance Service 3.05.030 Ambulance Services Fund 3.05.040 Ambulance Service Rates 3.05.050 Billing For Ambulance Service 3.05.060 n balm e Ser-yiee rr & 3.05.070 Compliance With Medicare And Medicaid 3.05.080 Reciprocity 3.05.090 Severability 3.05.010 DEFINITIONS. For the purpose of this chapter, these terms shall have the following meanings: A) Household. "Household" includes each single-family dwelling, apartment or individual unit in multiple dwellings and mobile home within the City limits. B) Business or Industry. "Business" or "Industry" means all activities, occupations, trades, pursuits or professions located and/or engaged in within the City with the object of gain, benefit, or advantage, directly or indirectly. C) Scope of Household Coverage. The Ambulance Services shall cover each individual who resides within a "household" as that term is defined in subsection (A) of this section and shall apply enl-y to emergency and transport ambulance services and non-transport medical services. Guests staying overnight or longer at a household shall be treated as a member of the household if the need for emergency services arises for these individuals while visiting at that location. D) Scope of the Business and Industry Coverage. The Ambulance Services Fund shall cover each officer and employee of an industry or business physically located within the City, and shall apply only to emergency and transport ambulance services involving the officer or employee which arise within the City and which arise while the officer or employee is engaged in the regular course or scope of his or her employment or is traveling to the business or industry location to commence work or is traveling from the business or industry location following the completion of work. Ambulance Services Fund coverage for emergency and transport ambulance service and non-transport medical services shall also be extended to individuals who normally and regularly reside, as patients or clients, on the premises of any business or agency devoted exclusively to the care of persons who are physically or mentally infirm, disabled or emotionally disturbed, which business or agency is physically located within the City. E) Types of Service. To distinguish between non-emergency and emergency services the following definitions shall apply: 1) "Emergency" shall mean an apparent sudden need of medical attention based on injury or other unforeseen acute physical or mental event, which poses an immediate threat to life or physical well being; 2) "Transport" shall mean the movement of a patient by ambulance from the scene of an emergency to the closest appropriate hospital; 3) "Non-Transport Medical Services" shall mean where a person receives medical services or treatment by Pasco ambulance personnel and is not transported to a medical facility by the ambulance. 4) "Transfer" shall mean the movement of a patient by ambulance from or between one hospital to another, to a medical facility, to a residence, to an airport for transfer to another city, to another city or to any other designated location. (Ord. 3677 Sec. 2, 2004; Ord. 3433, Sec. 1, 2000; Ord. 2078 Sec. 1, 1979.) 3.05.020 ESTABLISHMENT OF AMBULANCE SERVICE. There is established an ambulance service to serve as a public utility of the City of Pasco, for the health and welfare of the residents of the City. This service shall charge rates as approved by the City Council. (Ord. 3433 Sec. 1, 2000.) 3.05.030 AMBULANCE SERVICES FUND. There is established and created a special fund to be known as the ambulance services fund. Any and all revenues received from ambulance services shall be credited to the ambulance services fund. All expenditures for the operation, maintenance, and capital needs of the city ambulance service shall be paid out of the ambulance services fund. The City Manager may use money in the ambulance services fund to pay the cost of providing ambulance service to city residents who are underinsured or uninsured. (Ord. 3677 Sec. 2, 2004; Ord. 3433 Sec. 1, 2000; Ord. 2078 Sec. 5, 1979.) 3.05.040 AMBULANCE SERVICE RATES. The following rate categories are established for ambulance service: 1) Base Rate for emergency, transport and transfer services as defined in PMC 3.05.010 for all persons residing within Pasco city limits; 2) Base rate for all services for all persons who reside outside of the City limits; 3) Base Rate for medical services that does not result in transport to a medical facility by a Pasco ambulance; and 4JMileage rate for each mile or portion thereof necessary for emergency, transfer or transport services. All rates shall be as set forth in Chapter 3.07 of this code. (Ord. 3677 Sec. 2, 2004; Ord. 3646 Sec. 3, 2003; Ord. 3433 Sec. 1, 2000; Ord 3327 Sec. 3, 1998; Ord. 3025, Sec. 1, 1994; Ord. 2627 Sec. 1, 1986) 3.05.050 BILLING FOR AMBULANCE SERVICE. Each person who utilizes the ambulance service ("patient") shall be billed by the City at the rates set forth in Section 3.07.010 3.05.07 9. The City Manager shall establish a procedure to bill and collect rates for the ambulance service. Under the procedure, the City may elect to bill the patient directly or bill the patient's insurance company, and if the patient's insurance does not cover all of the cost of the ambulance service,bill the remaining balance to the patient directly. The City may contract with a billing service to bill and collect the for the ambulance and medical services. (Ord. 3677 Sec. 2, 2004; Ord. 3433 Sec. 1, 2000.) 3.05 060 A At B14 A-NGE SERVICES CREDIT >aeh pafie..t .=he resides in ., household within the eity limits er- is tr-anspefted from an industry or- business with whem they afe empleyed and whieh is physieally located within the City limits shall f:eeeive a or-edit (th-e A) D,-1.yides the City with all r este 1_; ;f...-.,,alio., and rlal ufflo..t., ien inelUdifig l...r not limited a B) Assigns ie the City the pa4ioii;'s right to �------ payment &ofn all applie-Ah-le. Se�tC�� a affd The or-edit shall equal that peftieii of the ambulaftee ser-viee rate that is not payable-by thifd p",payer-s. -See. 2;2004; OFE1. 3433 See. 1, 2000.) 3.05.070 COMPLIANCE WITH MEDICARE AND MEDICAID REQUIREMENTS. This chapter and the charges for the ambulance service hereunder shall be construed and implemented in a manner consistent with applicable Medicare and Medicaid requirements. If any part of this chapter is found to conflict with Medicare or Medicaid requirements, the conflicting part of this chapter shall be inoperative to the extent of the conflict and such finding or determination shall not affect the operation of the remainder of this chapter. (Ord. 3677 Sec. 2, 2004; Ord. 3433 Sec. 1, 2000.) 3.05.080 RECIPROCITY. Emergency and transport service as described in Section 3.05.010 of this chapter shall be provided within the City's ambulance response and mutual aid areas to any resident of the cities of Kennewick and Richland under the terms 1 — of this chapter provided that the patient resides in a city that provides emergency and transport ambulance services within its ambulance response and mutual aid areas to Pasco residents under reciprocal terms. (Ord. 3677 Sec. 2, 2004; Ord. 3433 Sec. 1, 2000; Ord. 2712 Sec, 3, 1988; Ord. 2120 Sec. 1, 1979; Ord. 2078 Sec. Sec. 8, 1979.) 3.05.090 SEVERABILITY. If any provisions of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this chapter or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected, and to this end, the provisions of this chapter are declared to be severable. (Ord. 3677 Sec. 2, 2004; Ord. 3433 Sec. 1, 2000.) Section 2. That Section 3.07.010 entitled "Ambulance" of the Pasco Municipal Code shall be and hereby is amended and shall read as follows: 3.07.010 AMBULANCE A) Ambulance Service Rates: Fee/Charge Reference 1) Resident $950.00$640.00 3.05.050 070 2) Non-Resident $1,040.00$75.00 3.05.050 0:70 3) Mileage Rate, per mile $9.00$6-W 3.05.050 07-0 4) Non-Transport Medical Services $200.00 3.05.050 (Ord. 3677 Sec. 3, 2004; Ord. 3645 See. 1, 2003; Ord. 3610 Sec. 1, 2003) Section 4. This Ordinance shall take full force and effect on January 1, 2005, after its approval, passage and publication as required by law. PASSED by the City Council of the City of Pasco, Washington and approved as provid by law this 20th day of December, 2004. chael L. Ga is n Mayor ATTEST: APPR VED S TO FORM: Webster U. Jacks n Leland B. Kerr City Clerk City Attorney