Colfax Rescue Squad director proposes $414,000 budget for 2021
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — Don Knutson, director of the Colfax Rescue Squad, has presented a proposed budget of $414,206 for 2021, representing an increase of $183, and a per capita of $17.67, representing a 50-cent increase.
The proposed per capita for Colfax of $17.67 is in the middle, and while it is somewhat higher than some of the other ambulance services in the area, it is lower than the per capita charged by other services, Knutson said at the Colfax Rescue Squad’s annual meeting August 19.
According to information Knutson provided to the representatives of the municipalities served by the Colfax Rescue Squad, Chetek is proposing a per capita of $15.98 for 2021, while Durand is proposing an $11 per capita.
Menomonie is proposing a $21 per capita for 2021, and Chippewa Falls and the Chippewa Fire District are proposing a per capita of $27.50. Eau Claire is proposing a per capita of $22 for 2021.
The Boyceville ambulance service has a more complicated formula for determining the rates paid by the municipalities in the ambulance district, and the assessment is based partially on the five-year average of ambulance runs, Knutson said.
Boyceville’s per capita standby fee for this year is $26.15.
By way of comparison, with a similar population, the Village of Colfax will pay a little over $19,000 in 2021 for ambulance service, and the Village of Boyceville paid about $102,000 this year, Knutson noted.
Municipalities served by the Boyceville ambulance service are members of an ambulance district.
The Village of Colfax owns the Colfax Rescue Squad.
Budget
The projected deficit for the 2020 budget is $70,000, but the projected deficit for 2021 is about $3,000, Knutson said.
The Village of Colfax recently contracted with the state Department of Revenue to collect on the debt owed to the ambulance service, he said.
The rescue squad receives 100 percent of the amount collected by the Department of Revenue rather than paying a fee out of what was collected by a debt collection agency, he said.
The Department of Revenue charges a fee to the person who owes the money rather than to the rescue squad.
Part of the problem for revenue for the rescue squad is that Medicaid has not increased the reimbursement rate for 12 years, and 12 years ago, there was a $9 increase, Knutson said.
Last year, the rescue squad had a record of 500 calls. Out of those calls, 10 percent were cancelled, 16 percent refused transport, and 66 percent were actual transports, he said.
For the transports, 13 percent are paid by regular insurance, 43 percent are paid by Medicare or the Veterans Administration, 28 percent are paid by Medicaid, and the remainder of the ambulance calls are private pay, Knutson said.
Insurance and self-pay subsidize the low reimbursement rates of Medicare and Medicaid, he said.
According to a chart included in Knutson’s report, transports covered by Medicaid and Medicare cover about one-third of the amount invoiced, leaving the rescue squad with an uncollectible amount of around $1,000 or $1,200.
Knutson noted that he has authorized overtime for EMTs because there are times when it becomes a matter of either the ambulance does not go out on a call or overtime is paid.
Rate changes
The largest rate change for 2021 will be an increase in the amount charged when a patient refuses the ambulance. Currently the charge is $313, but the rate will increase to $500 next year.
The base rate for a basic life support ambulance run for a resident of the area served by the rescue squad will increase by $5.44 to $1,094, and the base rate for basic life support for a non-resident will increase by $6.49 to $1,304.
The base rate for an advanced life support ambulance run for a resident will increase by $6.75 to $1,356, and the base rate for advanced life support for a non-resident will increase by $7.27 to $1,461.
Mileage charged for a resident will increase by $2.86 to $24.04, and mileage for a non-resident will increase by $3.08 to $25.90.
Per capita
Here are the proposed per capita charges in 2021 for the municipalities served by the Colfax Rescue Squad:
• Village of Colfax — $19,348.65, representing an increase of $375.80 (based on a population of 1,095).
• Town of Colfax — $22,670.62, representing an
Rescue Squad
increase of $744.52 (based on a population of 1,283).
• Village of Elk Mound — $15,390.57, representing an increase of $487.01(based on a population of 871).
• Town of Elk Mound — $34,103.20, representing an increase of $982.17 (based on a population of 1,930).
• Town of Grant — $6,926.64, representing an increase of $144.49 (based on a population of 392).
• Town of Otter Creek — $8,781.99, representing an increase of $231.33 (based on a population of 497).
• Town of Sand Creek — $10,142.58, representing an increase of $287 (based on a population of 574).
• Town of Tainter — $21,416.04, representing an increase of $691.85 (based on a population of 1,212 residents who live in the part of the township served by the Colfax Rescue Squad).
• Village of Wheeler — $5,872.14, representing an increase of $188.67 (based on a population of 343).
The total amount collected for per capita in 2021 will be $144,840.99, representing an increase of $4,132.84.
The Colfax Village Board will take action on the proposed Colfax Rescue Squad budget later this fall during the village’s regular budget process.