2007-11-12 Regular Meeting, Public Hearing and Workshop Meeting

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Treat with No Transport (Service Charge): a charge to a patient who has received evaluation or treatment but who has not been transported by EMS due to the refusal of care or for other reasons. This charge applies ONLY if the patient or a family member requested the EMS response. Sec. 30-80. Advanced Life Support Services Required. (a) The City of La Porte hereby mandates Advanced Life Support (ALS) with a minimum crew of one EMT-Paramedic and one EMT-Basic as the minimum standard of care for all 9-1-1 ambulance calls and emergency ambulance transports arising in the City of La Porte, and shall bill accordingly at only an ALS level. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply to all services provided by the City to mutual aid and contractual response areas. (b) Exceptions to the provision of ALS with one EMT-Paramedic and one EMT-Basic crew may be made only in the case of disaster or mass casualty incidents. Sees. 30-81 - 30.85. Reserved. " Section 2. Chapter 30 "Emergency Services", Article III "Emergency Medical Services", of the Code of Ordinances of the City of La Porte, Texas is hereby amended by adding new Division 2, with new sections 30-86 through 30-93, inclusive, which said Division shall read as follows: "Division 2. Billing Policy and Procedures Sec. 30-86. Policy for EMS Billing. (a) The City of La Porte recognizes the need to bill for these services to aid in the provision of Emergency Medical Services. (b) No person requiring EMS shall be denied services due to a lack of insurance or ability to pay. (c) Any applicable charges for EMS rendered shall be billed directly to the patient or to the patient's third party payer. (d) A patient who receives emergency medical services from the City of La Porte is obligated, at the time of service or as soon as practicable thereafter, to provide to the City of La Porte with all pertinent insurance and payment information to facilitate the City of La Porte in the billing of third party payment sources for services rendered. The City of La Porte may, at its option, and shall, where required by law, bill insurers or carriers on a patient's behalf and may accept payment on an assignment basis. (e) All patients, whether or not domiciled in the City of La Porte, and/or their financially responsible parties, insurers or carriers, will be billed for emergency medical services provided by the City of La Porte according to the Fee Schedule established herein or at rates established by the City of La Porte - City Council from time to time.