Title
Emergency Medical Services - For the purpose of modifying the provisions of the Annapolis Emergency Medical Services program.
Body
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
City of Annapolis
Ordinance 42-20
Introduced by: Mayor Buckley
Co-sponsored by: Alderwoman Pindell Charles
Referred to
Finance Committee
AN ORDINANCE concerning
Emergency Medical Services
FOR the purpose of modifying the provisions of the Annapolis Emergency Medical Services program.
BY repealing and re-enacting with amendments the following portions of the Code of the City of Annapolis, 2020 Edition
6.28.010
6.28.020
SECTION I: BE IT ESTABLISHED AND ORDAINED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that the Code of the City of Annapolis shall be amended to read as follows:
Title 6 - REVENUE AND FINANCE
Chapter 6.28 - BILLING FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
Section 6.28.010 - Establishment of program to bill insurers and non-City residents for Emergency Medical Services.
A program is hereby established to permit the City to bill insurers, nursing homes, and non-City residents for the provision of emergency medical services. The Annapolis Fire Department is the primary provider of pre-hospital emergency medical services within the corporate limits of the City and to many areas outside the corporate limits of the City. All persons in need of such services are entitled to receive them without prior determination of their ability to pay. No person requiring emergency medical services shall be denied services due to lack of insurance or ability to pay. All policies governing management of the program shall be determined by the Chief of the Annapolis Fire Department in collaboration with the Director of Finance. All fees collected under this program shall be deposited into the general fund and appropriated in the annual budget for use only for those costs specifically related to the provision of Emergency Medical Services.
Section 6.28.020 - Financial arrangements.
A. Under no circumstances will anyone be refused TREATMENT OR transport if they are unable to pay.
B. The City Council will establish the fees for emergency medical services in the annual fee schedule.
C. The Director of Finance is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with a third party billing agency for the performance of emergency medical services billing and collection services.
D. The Director of Finance, or the authorized contractor, shall bill and collect for emergency medical services as follows:
1. Victims of crime and persons determined to be indigent will not be billed or required to pay for service. However, if the person is in a nursing home at the time of the emergency, the City shall bill the primary insurer. If the primary insurer denies coverage for TREATMENT OR the ambulance transport, the City shall bill the nursing home for the TREATMENT OR ambulance transport.
2. If a bill is not paid by a resident and if no insurance information is provided, the City shall not take any action to collect. If a bill is not paid by a non-resident or a nursing home, the City shall file a collection action.
3. Residents of the Annapolis Emergency Medical Services Area. If the resident is in a nursing home at the time of the emergency, the City shall bill the primary insurer. If the primary insurer denies coverage for TREATMENT OR the ambulance transport, the City shall bill the nursing home for TREATMENT OR the ambulance transport. In all other instances, the resident's insurance provider shall be billed, unless the resident lacks insurance coverage, in which case the resident shall be billed directly.
4. Non-residents of the Annapolis Emergency Medical Services Area. If the non-resident is in a nursing home at the time of the emergency, the City shall bill the primary insurer. If the primary insurer denies coverage for TREATMENT OR the ambulance transport, the City shall bill the nursing home for TREATMENT OR the ambulance transport. In all other instances, the non-resident's insurance provider shall be billed, unless the non-resident lacks insurance coverage, in which case the non-resident shall be billed directly.
SECTION II: AND BE IT FURTHER ESTABLISHED AND ORDAINED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that this ordinance shall take effect from the date of its passage.
Explanation:
UPPERCASE indicates matter added to existing law.
Strikethrough indicates matter stricken from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments.