FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS TO GO FROM PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS TO HILLSIDE!!!
At the Ambulance Committee meeting this morning a complaint was stated by Commissioner Pollard that a citizen was charged $400.00 to have an ambulance take him from the Physicians and Surgeons office on Cedar Line to Hillside Hospital. Even at the standard $10.00 a mile rate that seems excessive. No one including Mr. Roy Griggs was able to explain why this was? Hopefully by the next meeting there will be some explanation.
Also at the meeting it was announced that the Ambulance Service lost $273,000.00 this past year. Later in the meeting it was stated that the total budget for the Ambulance Service was 2.059 million dollars ($.20 of every tax dollar goes to the Ambulance Service) now only between 1.4 and 1.5 million was collected thus with a bit of quick math over half a million dollars was actually lost not the $273,000.00 that was originally mentioned.
With the failing economy and rising expenses associated with this service isn't it about time to seriously consider selling it to a private company as many surrounding counties have done? This would take a huge drain off the county budget and actually increase the tax base.
Also at the meeting it was announced that the Ambulance Service lost $273,000.00 this past year. Later in the meeting it was stated that the total budget for the Ambulance Service was 2.059 million dollars ($.20 of every tax dollar goes to the Ambulance Service) now only between 1.4 and 1.5 million was collected thus with a bit of quick math over half a million dollars was actually lost not the $273,000.00 that was originally mentioned.
With the failing economy and rising expenses associated with this service isn't it about time to seriously consider selling it to a private company as many surrounding counties have done? This would take a huge drain off the county budget and actually increase the tax base.
posted by Allen Barrett | 3:54 PM
52 Comments:
This is my father that Mr. Pollard is referencing. He went to Physicians and Surgeons with respiratory problems. Dr. Burger wanted to admit him to the hospital. He put him into an ambulance and sent him to Hillside. Once the bill was received it was over $400. My mother spent countless hours on the phone with Humana, their insurance company. Humana told my mother that the charges were excessive, and she should not be held accountable for the remainder. My mother attempted to speak with Ms. Garner about this concern. Instead, she was shuffled through countless people who ultimately told her that she would be held responsible for the remainder not paid by the insurance. No person with whom she spoke would listen when my mother tried to explain that, according to Humana, the charges were excessive, and the remainder not covered by the insurance company would need to be written off. My mother ultimately mailed a check for the difference. My parents are hard working people who have saved their entire lives for what they have. Do not get me wrong, I very much appreciate Dr. Burger's expedient handling of my father's medical concerns. However, the ambulance service is gouging the citizens of Giles County with these excessive fees. I would hate to know what the charges would have been had he needed to be transported to Nashville. What is most concerning is how in the world are other people in Giles County, especially our elderly population, affording such extreme charges? Kudos to Commissioner Pollard for following up with his promise to pursue my mother's concerns. He is obviously taking his promises as a commissioner seriously. A. Roberts
And the Ambulance service keeps expanding. Let's give them a substation in Blooming Grove!
Surely there was a mistake in the bill. Maybe an extra zero was hit.
This can't be just one bill of carrying a patient from Physicians and Surgeons to Hillside Hospital.
We need to hear from others what their bill was going to Nashville or coming from Minor Hill to the hospital. I think all places except Minor Hill has an ambulance near them.
Part of the agenda for this meeting was to consider an increase in charges. After much discussion that item was put on hold. Allen Barrett
In about 1994 I was transported from my home in Giles County to Maury Regional Hospital and the bill was about $1200 which my insurance did not cover. I paid for this out of my pocket.
6:39 Ok, I see the price is high, hope I never need an ambulance, but it's great to know we have one in Giles County if needed.
The price of a private owned ambulance would probably be more.
Lets privatize every department that doesn't break even. Why stop at the ambulance service. Last I checked the Highway Dept., Sheriff's Dept., or any dept , for that matter, did not break even or turn a profit.
And what about the 590.000 to redo the jail up to code?
So lets join together and start to get change in our local county government. A good place to begin would be to sign the peition thats going around for a County Charter as we have been reading and hearing about on the radio. I already signed the peition. Mr Barret what do you think about this?
Medicare has a limit as to what they will pay for ambulance transportation.
I know that Medicare has a limit to what they will pay. That is not the point. The point is that for a 1.1 mile trip $400 was charged, regardless of what source was paying the bill. Medicare also determined that the amount charged was excessive, and per their representative, the overage was to be written off. Not so, according to Financial Management. What is to keep the Ambulance Service from robbing more people if there is no regulation or accountability? If I go to my doctor and he charges me an outrageous amount for his services, my insurance, which I pay myself, pays him the standard billable amount and then he writes off the remainder. Why then does the ambulance service not do the same..... the answer is because no one is making them! There is no other ambulance service that I can go to..... my doctor has competition to keep him accountable.
To the 18 Feb 6:08 post.
I am very much in favor of the county charter and would urge everyone to sign the petition. There will be someone in the Courthouse by the tax office seeking signatures each day for the next couple of weeks. If you live in town and can't get to the courthouse call me and I'll ghet the petition to you. You must be a registered voter of the county but we can get you registered also.
The charter will do more than anything to bring about accountability and oversight to county government. Do not be misled by the lie some commissioners are spreading that this is a metro form of government it absolutely is not. If you have any questions please just ask. Allen Barrett
After reading the proposed Charter, I have a strong concern over the term limits for All elected officials. I can't see any qualified person that has a good job leaving that job for one they can only keep for maybe 8 years. I feel this will keep the most qualified people from running for public office. Also the charter states that the county attorney is to be publicly elected. Do you know of any lawyer who will that a hugh cut in pay run for this office. Also how could he be objective knowning his committs on the law might not get him re-elected.
People please read this charter before you sign anything.
WAB what do you think about this part of the charter that no one is bring up?
The term limits would probably only apply to County Exec. and commissioners. It says Constitutional Offices and Judicial System remain the same. So no one would be leaving a job to take that position. The county attorney wouldn't be taking a huge cut in pay; this would be additional income for him/her. They would still have their law practice.
1:03
Charter states All elected positions. I hope no one votes on a "probably" would apply, Don't you?
Good to see some intelligent discussion re the draft County Charter even though it's in the wrong place on this blog.
If you'd take time to go to the web-blog for the Charter
http://gileshomerule.blogspot.com/
and read the introduction to the second paragraph down the page it distinctly says "Some of the things that COULD BE" (my caps for emphasis !!).
What actually gets put into any Home Rule charter is what gets put there by the people who it is written for/by -i. e. the PEOPLE of Giles County .This IS true 'democracy in action' folks just as the Founding Fathers intended it to be ,'by the people, for the people '. Less control by rich landowners -deciding where countywide water will be run for their max benefit is an example .
When the petition for charter referendum gets approved next august (2010) then that authorises a Charter Commission to be formed to actually write the Giles Charter . The 'draft charter' you can link to from the above web-page is ONLY a draft there is nothing binding in it .
EVERYTHING about this petition and charter process is being done precisely to the Tenn state law as drawn up in 1978 .Read TCA 5-1-204(d)then ask your district commissioners where they've been for 30 years. Surely it IS time for some of them to be replaced ?
The Dragon
Dragon
Thanks for the blog info. I'll be sure to read it. And I agree some of our commissioners need replaced. But if this law was drawn up in 1978, How many counties are doing it ? Is this something like the Finance Plan that we are now under ?? And only a small handful of counties are using.
The TCA covering this County Charter states it does not effect the Constitutional Offices or the Judicial system. rEAD tca 5-1-201 - 215.
Feb 18
It was not Financial Management that refused to do the write off.
Financial Management is the accounting system that now meets gov standards in the county. The problem for lack of write off lays in the hands of the person in the finance office who may not have completed her job. If so, this should be brought to the attention of her boss, Loretta Garner.
People - Mr Barret has a seperate topic for the county charter. Lets keep this limited to the discussion of the ambulance service and excessive charges.
PLEASE take discussion of the County Charter/ Home Rule to that topic on the blog . It's about 4 or 5 topis further down the list .
Mr Barrett has listed some of the 'things that COULD be ' (NOT 'will be' ) in his introduction .
What gets in there is up to the people .
I was asked a question by anonymous in a 19 Feb 19, 8:43 post. I have posted my response under the thread on the county charter. Allen Barrett
i know this does not apply to ambulance service or help this lady but one time Meadowbrook tried to keep my father's check after he died. I always wondered how many people in Giles were taken advantage of because hard working people will pay their bills.
I was lucky i went to the lawyer who drew up Dads will told him the set up & he handled it.
If you read the agenda for the Ambulance Committee it was to "talk about charges". Roy Griggs and Loretta Garner went to that meeting with the idea of INCREASING the charges to Medicare thinking that fed insurance would pay more if the billed costs were more! As somone has stated earlier on this post, Medicare has a limit on every charge or procedure. Even if Medicare did pay a few dollars more, that in turn would up the co-pay to the patient. If Giles Co cant make this ambulance service self supporting then it needs to be managed by a private company. I'm not even suggesting the service be sold, many of these private businesses lease and manage. Needs looking into by the commissioners. They owe it to the citizens of this county to take some positive action. We all know this service has not been managed effectively for years.
Amen 11:21! What about it Commissioners. Time to look at either selling or leasing. The money saved by privatizing our ambulance service could be put to our needed schools and roads.
funeral parlors used to provide that service. why the change?
I wonder if the reason the ambulance service is in the hole could be a lot of people never paying.
But stop and think, "You have a love one in a bad wreck or having a heart attach and the ambulance not going until they find out if you can pay." Don't say get a taxie or you will take them in your car, You could be miles away.
Ambulance service is needed a lot worse than a football field lights or anything else in the schools.
What if there had been no ambulance service when the shooting was at Richland school.
Just stop and think what if you need an ambulance and couldn't get one.
6:58, That is something the folks in Minor Hill think about daily.
To: Sunday, February 22, 2009 7:43:00 PM
Sure sale the ambulance service and give the money to Tee for his raise.
Who sets the ambulance fee for transporting a patient and how is it set?
EMS is one thing. Transporting people who need assistance is another. The costs & service are entirely different!
2:30:00 PM
Care to explain to us dumb ones
The ambulance service has been setting the costs by pulling a figure out of the air.
Oh, so it doesn't matter how many miles or how much taking care of the patient.
No set rule?
correct 10:39 ten dollars a mile and a set fee regardless of how serious the patient is.
If the fee is $10.00 a mile how did the fee get to be $400.00 from Physicians and Surgeons Clinic to Hillside hospital?
What happen to the TV man that use to look into things like this? I think he needs calling.
I'm very much for the ambulance service and have friends working there, but something is wrong here, at least needs explaning.
That bill needs explaining.
How much did the insurance pay on it?
This makes me think if my spouse has a heart attack he'll just have to die, no way can we pay that kind of bill.
Wonder if that's Mrs TJ or Spear, or the nice little lady on the skool board
she sounds like my exwife
Would your exwife not pay $400.00 for the ambulance to take you a mile to the hospital?
Some people don't have the money and if the ambulance service demanded the money, what then.
Pay? Would probably send the ambulance to the other side of time.
For the people who want to "sell" the ambulance service -- Lawrence County is "selling" to Lifeguard (private service) and Lawrence will be PAYING Lifeguard 360,000 a year. No service is going to write the county a check for the ambulance service. They will come in only with county subsidizing.
Then Lawrence Co should have contracted with a different service. Rural Metro that visited here before being told to go away before they could give a proposal was not asking to be subsidized.
If a private company buys the ambulance service and they pick up someone that don't pay because of no money what will they do?
There are people out there being picked up that don't pay.
If a private company bought the ambulance service and they didnt get paid for a run it wouldnt be our problem.
Would they not stop going after people unless proved they could pay?
I just wondered what happen in other counties that had pivate ambulances.
Any ambulance service has to respond to calls. Its a Federal law. They would be sued oterhwise. Occassionally they have to eat a debt but since private services are run effeciently thats not a problem.
Sunday, March 08, 2009 5:31:00 AM
Thanks you have answered me question. Maybe I wasn't asking it correctly.
I didn't know it was Federal Law they had to answer.
I have good insurance, but feel for the ones that don't.
How much did the insurance company think the trip from Physicians & Surgeons to the hospital should of cost?
Hillside, or as most people call it, "Killside" is a joke. They cant even treat BROKEN BONES. I went in when i hurt my foot and they did xrays and said NOTHING was wrong. After getting a second opinion out of town, it was broken. God forbid u have to go in the ER because you'll be there atleast 5 hours. They are embarrasing to giles county.
Maybe you weren't holding your mouth right when they did the x-ray.
Never have had any problems with any of the services at the hospital. Now there is a different story about some of the doctors who practice here in Giles County.
But these comments really do not have a lot to do with the topic of the ambulance service charges. Now do they??????
DONT CALL EMS THEN......Go by a car or your truck. You will get there and it will be cheaper!!!!!!
You may not get there alive but who cares?? Life is not important is it??? Money is....be glad you can whine about this....
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