Emergency Service rates are going up in Two Rivers.
The city council approved an ordinance to update the fees for ambulances and firefighters that respond to emergencies.
Fire Chief Dave Murack explained again that it was the emergency service’s billing service that recommended the increase because the city was behind other municipalities with similar-sized fire and ambulance departments.
Murack talked about one of the biggest increases in specialty care transport for residents and non-residents.
That went up from $1,600 to $2,000.
“These are people that are breathing by a ventilator,” Chief Murack explained. “They have multiple IV drips. I’m talking three to six IV drips of medications. They may have other specialty things going on at the time as well, they might have a chest tube or a tube in their chest. These are calls that require three or four paramedics on the call.”
He says while rates are going up, residents are still getting a fair price, especially when there are few paramedic services that are run by fire departments that provide critical care.
Council President Scott Stechmesser and Adam Wachowski didn’t like the increase for residents while Council Member Mark Bittner says although it’s tough to see, it’s necessary.
City Manager Greg Buckley talked about how the city needs to pay for its services.
“It takes money to provide those services,” Buckley described. “We don’t print it here like some other levels do. Or borrow it against our kids to pay for the operation budget. So, this is where the rubber meets the road. Yeah, it’s tough. The only thing tougher is not being able to pay the bills.”
He also explained how most calls in the city are for Medicare and Medicaid patients, and not all the money needed for services comes back to Two Rivers emergency services.
The council voted 8-1 to accept the rate changes with Wachowski as the only no vote.
