Okaloosa County commissioners on Tuesday approved a plan that substantially increases ambulance transport fees starting Aug. 1.
The cost of basic and advanced life support ambulance transports will increase to $800 for residents and non-residents. The amount charged for mileage also would be raised from $12 per mile to $15.
The various basic and advanced transport fees currently range from $427 to $1,000. Non-residents also pay more than locals.
Take a look at the fee schedule for yourself. >>
Public Safety Director Dino Villani said the fee hike is needed because the county’s Emergency Medical Services fees lag behind other areas in Florida. As a result, the EMS fund, which is set up to be self-sustaining, repeatedly has fallen short and has had to be subsidized with taxpayer money.
“This will assist us in our budgeting efforts,” Villani said. “This will also stabilize our rates to one particular rate and standardize them.”
The higher fees are expected to generate an additional $900,000 a year for the EMS fund.
Commissioner Dave Parisot said he had heard from some residents who were concerned that the county was trying to turn its EMS division “into a profit center.”
“This is not going to make any type of profit,” Parisot added. “This is only going to offset ad valorem taxes that are currently being paid into (the EMS fund). We’re trying to alleviate the condition on the taxpayers.”
Under the new fee schedule, several other ambulance charges would increase. For example, the cost of ambulance stand-by service would increase from $100 per hour to $200 per hour, and the cost of ambulance treatment without transport would increase from $125 to $250.
The cost of an ambulance stand-by for a nonprofit organization would increase from $60 per hour to $120 per hour.
The cost of specialty care ambulance transports would decrease from $830 for residents and $1,129 for non-residents to $800 for both locals and visitors.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari C. Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.
