Chapter 2.98
MISCELLANEOUS AMBULANCE SERVICE RELATED FEES AND CHARGES
Sections:
2.98.010 Ambulance utility established.
2.98.030 Rates and charges for ambulance demand costs.
2.98.040 Rate classifications for ambulance availability costs.
2.98.050 Rates and charges for ambulance availability costs.
2.98.070 Billing and collecting charges for ambulance availability costs.
2.98.090 Need based exemption.
2.98.010 Ambulance utility established.
The ambulance service operated by the Walla Walla City fire department is established as a public utility in accordance with RCW 35.21.766. The fee charged by the utility shall reflect a combination of the availability cost and the demand cost. Charges for ambulance availability costs are hereby imposed on every property in the city of Walla Walla that has a city utility account for water, sewer (a/k/a wastewater), sanitation, and/or recycling services. (Ord. 2022-24 § 10, 2022).
2.98.020 Definitions.
A. “Ambulance availability costs” are those costs attributable to the basic infrastructure needed to respond to a single call for service within the utility’s response criteria. Availability costs include costs for dispatch, labor, training of personnel, equipment, patient care supplies, and maintenance of equipment.
B. “Ambulance demand costs” are those costs that are attributable to the burden placed on the ambulance service by individual calls for ambulance service. Demand costs include costs related to frequency of calls, distances from hospitals, and other factors.
C. “Commercial” shall mean and/or apply to any building or group of buildings where a business or a combined residence and business is practiced, or where such business is advertised by a sign of any type on the premises and/or listed in the telephone directory as the location of a business.
D. “Industrial” shall mean and/or apply to all manufacturing and processing establishments.
E. “Multiple dwelling” shall mean and/or apply to multiple-family dwelling units as defined in Title 20.
F. “Residential” shall mean and/or apply to all one-family and two-family dwelling units as defined in Title 20.
G. “Public” shall mean and/or apply to all city, county, state and federal institutions, schools, parks, and other publicly owned institutions, with the exception of the city of Walla Walla municipal corporation and its departments.
H. “City of Walla Walla” shall mean and/or apply to the city of Walla Walla municipal corporation and its departments and operations conducted on behalf of the city on property owned by the city. (Ord. 2022-24 § 11, 2022).
2.98.030 Rates and charges for ambulance demand costs.
The following fees shall be charged, per allowable CMS guidelines, on a per-patient basis, for services provided by the Walla Walla ambulance service:
A. The nonemergency BLS rate per patient for residents of Walla Walla County shall be seven hundred fifty-eight dollars. The emergency BLS rate per patient for residents of Walla Walla County shall be seven hundred ninety-six dollars. The nonemergency ALS rate per patient for residents of Walla Walla County shall be eight hundred twenty-two dollars. The emergency ALS 1 rate per patient for residents of Walla Walla County shall be eight hundred eighty-four dollars. The emergency ALS 2 rate per patient for residents of Walla Walla County shall be nine hundred sixty-two dollars. Each person transported shall have added to the appropriate base fee twelve dollars per mile transported.
B. The nonemergency BLS rate per patient for nonresidents of Walla Walla County shall be nine hundred sixty-two dollars. The emergency BLS rate per patient for nonresidents of Walla Walla County shall be one thousand twelve dollars. The nonemergency ALS rate per patient for nonresidents of Walla Walla County shall be one thousand seventy-four dollars. The emergency ALS 1 rate per patient for nonresidents of Walla Walla County shall be one thousand one hundred fourteen dollars. The emergency ALS 2 rate per patient for nonresidents of Walla Walla County shall be one thousand one hundred eighty-eight dollars. Each person transported shall have added to the appropriate base fee twelve dollars per mile transported.
C. All persons who are transported partway by another agency’s basic life support unit, and then are intercepted and transported by a unit of the Walla Walla ambulance service with advanced life support capability, shall be charged the applicable base rate fee plus twelve dollars per mile transported.
D. All persons to be transferred by the Walla Walla ambulance service requiring ambulance attendants to wait in excess of thirty minutes shall be charged a standby fee of ninety-one dollars per hour, calculated to the nearest quarter of an hour.
E. All persons who receive more than minor treatment by Walla Walla ambulance service personnel but who are not transported by a Walla Walla ambulance service vehicle shall be charged for all supplies used plus a service fee of seventy-five dollars, which includes medications administered.
F. The special event rate where ambulance service is made available on a standby basis shall be ninety-one dollars per hour, calculated to the nearest quarter of an hour, plus a charge for all supplies used, and plus any transport charges which may apply.
G. Charges shall be imposed for searching and duplicating medical records in the maximum amount allowed by WAC 246-08-400, as amended.
H. In the event of heroic actions by members of the public (such as rescuing victims from fire and providing assistance at accident scenes) which results in the hero(es) needing treatment or transport by the Walla Walla ambulance service, regularly charged fees may be reduced or waived by the Walla Walla city manager, fire chief, and designees of each, to the extent permitted by law.
I. The Walla Walla city manager, fire chief, and designees of each may settle disputed fees and charges which do not exceed five hundred dollars.
J. The city reserves the right to make special contracts, the provisions and conditions of which are different from and have exceptions to the regular published schedules. Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, the city council may fix by resolution special ambulance service rates. Special contracts must be approved by the city and shall be in writing and signed by the city and the customer.
K. Finance charges may be imposed upon past due accounts to the extent and maximum amount allowed by law.
L. The charges set forth herein for ambulance demand costs shall apply in addition to ambulance availability rates and charges set forth in Section 2.98.050 and any other charges that may apply. (Ord. 2022-24 § 9, 2022; Ord. 2011-23 § 1, 2011: Ord. 2010-48 § 1, 2010: Ord. 2009-33 § 1, 2009: Ord. 2008-35 § 1, 2008: Ord. 2008-20 § 1, 2008: Ord. 2006-37 § 1, 2006: Ord. 2003-41 § 1, 2003; Ord. 2002-41 § 1, 2002: Ord. 2001-34 § 1, 2001: Ord. 2000-34 § 1, 2000: Ord. 99-41 § 1, 1999: Ord. 98-35 § 1, 1998: Ord. 97-43 § 1, 1997; Ord. 96-45 § 1, 1996; Ord. 95-38 § 1, 1995; Ord. 95-23 § 1, 1995; Ord. 94-43 § 1, 1994: Ord. A-3704 § 1, 1991: Ord. A-3628 § 1, 1990. Formerly 2.98.010).
2.98.040 Rate classifications for ambulance availability costs.
The following rate classifications are established for purposes of setting and collecting charges for ambulance availability costs: (A) commercial, (B) industrial, (C) multiple dwelling, (D) residential; (E) public, and (F) city of Walla Walla. Rate classification determinations shall be made by the city finance director or a designee of the finance director. (Ord. 2022-24 § 12, 2022).
2.98.050 Rates and charges for ambulance availability costs.
A monthly ambulance availability charge is hereby imposed against each property in the city that has a city utility account for water, sewer (a/k/a wastewater), sanitation, and/or recycling services. A location receiving more than one of those utility services shall be charged only one availability charge per location. The following monthly ambulance availability rates shall apply to each user classification:
|
Classification |
Rate (monthly charge) |
|---|---|
|
Commercial |
$7.00 |
|
Industrial |
$7.00 |
|
Multiple Dwelling |
$7.00 |
|
Residential |
$7.00 |
|
Public |
$7.00 |
|
City of Walla Walla |
$7.00 |
Monthly charge determinations shall be made by the city finance director or a designee of the finance director. The ambulance availability rates and charges set forth herein shall apply in addition to demand cost charges set forth in Section 2.98.030 and any other charges that may apply. (Ord. 2022-24 § 13, 2022).
2.98.070 Billing and collecting charges for ambulance availability costs.
A. The ambulance utility availability charges set forth in this chapter may be included in the city’s combined utility bill.
B. Delinquent charges shall bear interest at eight percent per annum computed on a monthly basis. (Ord. 2022-24 § 14, 2022).
2.98.080 Medicaid exemption.
A. Persons who are Medicaid eligible and who reside in a nursing facility, assisted living facility, adult family home, or receive in-home services are exempt from the monthly ambulance availability charges and the charges for demand costs.
B. A dwelling unit is exempt from a monthly ambulance availability charge if it is occupied by a recipient of in-home services paid by Medicaid during that month. Persons claiming an exemption must notify the city finance department in writing on a form prescribed by the city and provide verification. The exemption shall apply only during the months that the dwelling occupant is eligible.
C. The exemption applicable to a multi-bed nursing facility, assisted living facility, or adult family home shall be calculated by determining the ratio of the average monthly number of beds (rounded to the nearest whole number) occupied by Medicaid recipients versus the average monthly number of beds (rounded to the nearest whole number) not occupied by Medicaid recipients during the December 1st to December 1st period immediately preceding a billing year and multiplying that ratio against the monthly charge set forth in Section 2.98.050. The monthly charge shall be the applicable rate multiplied by the percentage of beds not occupied by Medicaid recipients. (For example, a ten-bed facility where three of the beds are occupied by Medicaid recipients shall be charged seventy percent of the monthly availability charge). The number of exempt beds may be adjusted during the billing year upon presentation of verifiable information to the city finance department that the actual number of exempt beds is different than the number previously determined.
D. Exemption eligibility determinations shall be made by the city finance director or a designee of the finance director.
E. The exemption amounts and reduction amounts shall be a general expense of the utility and considered an availability cost for purposes of establishing or adjusting monthly ambulance utility availability rates and charges by ordinance. (Ord. 2022-24 § 15, 2022).
2.98.090 Need based exemption.
A. Households that are determined to be eligible based on need consistent with Article VIII, Section 7 of the Washington State Constitution may be exempted from the monthly ambulance availability charges and the charges for demand costs or charged discounted amounts.
1. A household is eligible for a need based exemption or discount if the maximum household income is at or below one hundred twenty-five percent of federal poverty guidelines.
B. A dwelling unit may be exempt from a monthly ambulance availability charge or charged a discounted amount if it is occupied by an eligible household. Persons claiming an exemption or discount must apply to the city finance department in writing on a form prescribed by the city and provide verification. The exemption and/or discount shall apply only if the application is approved by the city, and it may be applied either retroactively or prospectively at the discretion of the city depending upon the circumstances of the applicant. The exemption and/or discount shall apply only during the months that the household occupying the dwelling unit is eligible.
C. Exemption and discount eligibility determinations shall be made by the city finance director or a designee of the finance director.
D. The exemption and discount amounts and reduction amounts shall be a general expense of the utility and considered an availability cost for purposes of establishing or adjusting monthly ambulance utility availability rates and charges by ordinance. (Ord. 2022-24 § 16, 2022).
2.98.100 Appeal.
A. An aggrieved person may appeal a rate classification decision, monthly charge determination, and/or an exemption and/or discount denial by filing a written appeal with the city finance department during normal business hours.
1. An appeal of a rate classification must be filed no later than thirty days from the date of mailing of the first bill that uses the rate classification.
2. An appeal of a monthly charge determination must be filed no later than thirty days from the date of mailing of the first bill that uses the determination.
3. An appeal of the denial of an exemption and/or discount must be filed no later than thirty days from the date of mailing of the denial.
B. Appeals of rate classification decisions and monthly charge determinations shall be decided by the city finance director or a designee of the finance director. The appeal decision shall be made in writing and mailed to the appellant at address stated in the appeal or, if none, the most recent location address on file in city utility billing records for which the appeal concerns. The appeal decision may be further appealed by filing another written appeal with the finance department during normal business hours no later than ten days from the date of mailing of the decision. The second appeal shall be decided by the city manager or the designee of the city manager and shall be final. The second appeal decision shall be made in writing and mailed to the appellant at address stated in the appeal or, if none, the most recent location address on file in city utility billing records for which the appeal concerns.
C. Appeals of the rejection of an exemption and/or discount denial shall be decided by the city manager or the designee of the city manager and shall be final. The appeal decision shall be made in writing and mailed to the appellant at address stated in the appeal or, if none, the most recent location address on file in city utility billing records for which the appeal concerns.
D. For purposes of this section, “days” means calendar days and time shall be computed as provided in RCW 1.12.040. (Ord. 2022-24 § 17, 2022).