EMSA speaks now are you listening?

[shadows]

Many may have read in the local news paper that the squabble of the Fire Department v EMSA that EMSA has come up with a new projection  of cost to the taxpayer.   Either way your figure it you come up with some real money.   To continue operations by taxing your water bill again as instead a necessity of life it has become a vehicle to increase taxes again.   The new proposal being kicked around on taxing the water you drink or taxing your home, which they have decided if it does not come up to the community standard for tax purposes it should be torn down.

Seems that we are talking about a subsidy of $4.5 to $5 million dollars plus med-care payments and other accessed costs placed in effect this year.

Am I living in the past too much when I think we are talking about a million here and a million there adds up to real money?  

What are the other posters thoughts?   Does this smell like our crown jewel river?

[Double A]

I think EMSA should start cutting the bloated executive compensation packages and golden parachutes of their top brass before they start asking for more tax dollars.

[guido911]

I needed EMSA about four months ago following a car wreck. My bill was just under $500.00 for a one mile ride. Was that trip subsidized?

[Kiah]

quote:Originally posted by guido911

I needed EMSA about four months ago following a car wreck. My bill was just under $500.00 for a one mile ride. Was that trip subsidized?

Yes (hint: you're paying for a tad more than the gas it takes to go one mile).  But -- if you have insurance and/or actually paid your bill, take heart.  You subsidized others as well.

"The circle of liiiiiife . . . ."

[NellieBly]

That $500 ride was cheap compared to OKC where it costs over $700 for a ride. Of course, not to be outdone by OKC, EMSA is raising the cost of ride to exactly what OKC charges.

[Conan71]

I think that's the point is that EMSA has been charging $200 less than what they should be in Tulsa.  COL isn't much different in OKC.

I do find it interesting though that after the contract bidding EMSA decides to spring it on us they want a new tax.  From the photo in the paper, it's not only the salaries which are bloated.  That Williams guy could stand to eat a little less.

[Steve]

Just how is the proposed new charge on City utility bills for EMSA supposed to work?  I understand that if this is enacted, the current voluntary annual EMSA subscription service would be abolished.

For example sake, lets say the charge is inacted and is $3 per month for single-family residential service.  Does this mean that unlimited EMSA service will be fully covered by the $3 monthly charge for all household residents?  Does this render any ambulance benefit you have under personal health/accident insurance obsolete?  For a person that has no insurance but pays the $3 monthly fee, are all ambulance fees covered with no out of pocket?  Are renters that pay no water bill directly covered?  Will non-residents that use EMSA service be billed directly and pay themselves, less any insurance benefit they may have?

I am really skeptical about this proposed utility bill charge.  In my own opinion, I think it is best to leave well enough alone and the users of the service should pay the bulk of the cost.  Why not take it a step further and have a surcharge to subsidize hospitals too, to reimburse them for uninsured emergency room patients?  EMSA doesn't seem to be hurting these days judging from how employees are compensated.  If rates have to rise in the future to cover charity or bad-debt writeoffs, then so be it, but EMSA should fully disclose and be able to defend how rates are determined.  Just because OKC rates are higher is absolutely no justification to raise Tulsa rates.  Rates should be determined locally, based on local costs and expense history.

[sgrizzle]

I thought the whole changes was do to a loss in medicare subsidies. If they're on medicare, they're probably not paying an emsa bill, whether it be $500 or $1000.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

I thought the whole changes was do to a loss in medicare subsidies. If they're on medicare, they're probably not paying an emsa bill, whether it be $500 or $1000.

I see the service abused quite frequently.  To wit: there is an elderly woman a few houses down who lives with her M.R. daughter.  The husband passed away a few years back.  They don't have a car because the mother never learned to drive and the state won't allow the daughter to.  The elderly woman gets these nose bleeds every few weeks that won't stop.  Instead of getting a neighbor or family member to take her to the hospital, they call 911, we get a visit from a fire truck and ambulance on our block.  They go to St. Johns and are home in a few hours when they get the bleeding stopped.

My wife is a nurse and has offered several times to take her even if it's in the middle of the night and the invitation has been ignored.  I think part of it is they are lonesome and they get attention.

Aliens also like to use ambulances for relatively small emergencies.  The logic to them is that if they come to the hospital in an ambulance, they get to the front of the line instead of waiting three hours to see a doc.  I bet EMSA gets shafted on better than half of those calls.

Just another example of how the rest of us pay for the ignorance or just plain disregard for personal responsibility of others.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

I see the service abused quite frequently.  To wit: there is an elderly woman a few houses down who lives with her M.R. daughter.  The husband passed away a few years back.  They don't have a car because the mother never learned to drive and the state won't allow the daughter to.  The elderly woman gets these nose bleeds every few weeks that won't stop.  Instead of getting a neighbor or family member to take her to the hospital, they call 911, we get a visit from a fire truck and ambulance on our block.  They go to St. Johns and are home in a few hours when they get the bleeding stopped.

Just another example of how the rest of us pay for the ignorance or just plain disregard for personal responsibility of others.

I have seen a very similar example, in the house 2 doors down from me.  Within the past year, there have been at least 6 calls at this house with fire trucks and EMSA showing up.  I have only seen EMSA actually transporting a person from this house 1 time.  I don't know the circumstances for certain, but judging from the habits and behaviour of these people, I doubt that they are paying the cost of these calls.  In any event, I don't think the proposed surcharge on City water bills is the answer to this.  There are always going to be some deadbeats that take advantage, and I assume that EMSA factors this in when setting rates.

[Conan71]

Doctors don't make housecalls any more, but EMSA does, eh Steve?

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Doctors don't make housecalls any more, but EMSA does, eh Steve?

Apparently so, and I assume that is why an ambulance run is so darn expensive.  If I were stapped for funds with no insurance, I would probably do the same thing, if alternative transportation was not available, but I would not call EMSA for a nosebleed or some minor situation that I could learn to take care of myself.

This same house next to me has also had at least 6 police calls in the past year, presumably for domestic violence issues.  I talked to the police during the last call about a month ago, and all they would tell me is that there are several "at risk" youth living in the house and "they hang with the same."  To quote the policeman, "Make sure your house is well lit outside at night, keep your doors and windows locked, and don't leave anything sitting around outside that you don't want stolen."  I guess the best I can hope for is these trashy people do something to land themselves in jail and out of my neighborhood.

[Conan71]

Steve,

Quite ironic we were just talking about this.  Fire truck and ambulance showed up about 10 pm last night.  Truck was there with four or five firemen for about 15 minutes, ambulance got there a couple of minutes after the fire unit and stayed for about another 20 to 30 minutes after the firetruck left, did not transport.

Just another house-call.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Steve,

Quite ironic we were just talking about this.  Fire truck and ambulance showed up about 10 pm last night.  Truck was there with four or five firemen for about 15 minutes, ambulance got there a couple of minutes after the fire unit and stayed for about another 20 to 30 minutes after the firetruck left, did not transport.

Just another house-call.

That's exactly the same thing that is happening at the house 2 doors east me, it has happened at least 6 times in the past year.  That and at least 6 police calls.  I hope it doesn't come to it, but I fully expect to hear gunshots ring out over there some day.  There is really not much I can do but protect my own property, keep my eyes and ears open for trouble, and hope these people go away soon.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by Steve

There is really not much I can do but protect my own property, keep my eyes and ears open for trouble, and hope these people go away soon.

I think there is a Wannemacher's gun show coming up...[]