Houston Fire Department Proposes Fee Increases For EMS Service

HOUSTON, TX -- Houston Fire Chief Sam Pena announced a proposed fee increase for ambulance services that could go into effect later this year once the budget is approved.

"We are asking for an increase to cover the cost of what it takes for us to deliver that service," Pena said.

The fees have been stable since 2012, the last time there was an increase, and according to Pena, the cost of delivering EMS services has increased about 70 percent.

The cost of basic transport by EMS will increase from $1,100 to $1,876, if the fee adjustments are approved by the city council.

Pena said some of those increases are a result of the high cost of drugs and pharmaceuticals, which in some cases have gone up about 90 percent.

Meanwhile, if approved, will impact several types of services, even those that don't require transport to an area hospital, and in some cases, the increases will come in the form of new fees, such as:

• Field Termination: Services performed, particularly for cardiac patients, that are ceased when the patient's condition does not change or improve. The resulting charge would be a $365 charge to the patient or insurance carrier.
• Treatment No Transport Fee: When 911 is called and EMS treats the patient, but transport to a hospital is refused. The resulting charge would be a $175 charge to the patient or insurance carrier.
• Lift Assist Call: Usually when a patient calls when they are unable to move and call for help, or when EMS is called to a home healthcare facility to help a patient who has fallen and can't get back up. The resulting charge would be a $175 charge to the patient or insurance carrier.

Pena said major insurance carriers, including Medicare and Medicaid reimburse for costs like these, and the city wants to take advantage of the reimbursement, where they have not previously.

Pena added that the lift assist calls to assisted living facilities numbered about 20,000 in 2017.

"We collect about 37 to 39 percent of what we bill," he said. "The taxpayer is subsidizing about 43 percent on every medical call...We are not recouping what it costs."

About 53 percent of those in the Houston area pay for EMS service through Medicare or Medicaid, while about 13 percent of those who are treated have commercial insurance.

Meanwhile, the remaining 33 percent of the patients have no health insurance, Pena said.

"It would be irresponsible for me not to make the recommendations to try to establish a fee that at least tries to recover the cost of delivering a service," he said.

The fee recommendations are expected to be presented to the city council for consideration later this month.

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