EMSA Service Charge on OKC Water Bills
Thursday December 4, 2008
On December 16th, the Oklahoma City Council will vote on a proposal that adds a $3.65 charge to the monthly water bills of metro residents in order to cover EMSA ambulance service. The plan, which has worked well in a number of cities including Tulsa, enrolls each residential water customer in EMSA's "TotalCare" service and covers all out-of-pocket charges for an ambulance ride.
There's very little downside to this idea, if you ask me, and I hope the council passes it. Residents can opt out of the coverage, if they so choose, but all other customers will be automatically enrolled. An ambulance ride costs over $700, and that price figures to rise, according to EMSA officials. Health expenses are high enough these days, and this seems like an easy, common sense way to protect against the unexpected expenses of emergency situations.
There's very little downside to this idea, if you ask me, and I hope the council passes it. Residents can opt out of the coverage, if they so choose, but all other customers will be automatically enrolled. An ambulance ride costs over $700, and that price figures to rise, according to EMSA officials. Health expenses are high enough these days, and this seems like an easy, common sense way to protect against the unexpected expenses of emergency situations.
Comments
The EMSA company already recieves funding from the goverment for services. Why do they need more funding. It sounds that they are not using their funding appropriatly. Their should be an investigation before their is an vote. Jesse
If I’m not mistaken, the funding helps make up the (fairly significant) gap between what ambulance service costs EMSA and what they charge.
My question is: Who would this service cover per household…. Just head of household? or any one living in the household?
As an ER physician, I believe EMS is a wasteful service. Yes, there are a few critical pts. they deliver on time but for the most part they have become a overpaid taxi service for people with non emergent medical problems to get to and from the hospital. They have to many staff and over training for what they were designed to do.
L.W. has a very good question. If any of my family needs EMSA service. Does it cover them or just does it only cover myself? What about the persons that rent and their water bill is included in their rent? Did the city really think this out or it just a ploy for someone to get funding that they can misuse?
For renters, the landlord will have to decide whether to opt out and must tell renters in writing of the decision. My understanding is that the fee will cover the entire household.
ER Doc’s comment is interesting. I’m sure many “emergencies” turn out not to be life, limb or permanent health-threatening, but lay people have no way to know that until they are examined in the ER. $3.65 amonth? To ensure that emergency service is available to everyone in a city this size? I’m for it hands down.
In the early 90’s several ER’s in Los Angeles had their ER doctors go on strike. The death rate actually dropped during that time. Look it up.