BRUNSWICK

The Brunswick Town Council held a public hearing Monday night on proposed increases to ambulance fees, which have not increased since 2009.

Finance Director Julie Henze and Brunswick Fire Chief Ken Brillant reviewed the new fees, which were then recommended for approval by the finance committee on June 6.

Currently, Brunswick charges $380 for basic life support services, while Bath, Falmouth and Windham are at $600, and Portland $748. The proposed increase to $480 will bring the town in line with 15 coastal communities that when surveyed resulted in a median cost of $479.63.

All other increases for variances of life support, mileage, non-transports and assisting other agencies will still put Brunswick just below the median of other communities surveyed.

Tom Soucy of Brunswick asked that the town not charge for non-transports for Lifeline users, saying that occasionally the service cannot reach their client or designated neighbors to check in on them after the medical alarm is sounded, resulting in a call for an ambulance.

Soucy said that currently Topsham and Bath do not charge for non-transports for Lifeline clients.

Brillant said that while he knows Topsham does not charge for any non-transport calls, there is a difference in how Brunswick charges.

According to Brillant, if a Lifeline client accidentally pushes their alert button and an ambulance responds, they do not charge for the ambulance. Likewise, if a motorist sees someone fall from a bicycle, for example, and they call an ambulance only to have the cyclist refuse care, they do not charge.

It becomes a matter of services rendered, just as if someone falls from their bed and emergency medical responders have to help them back in bed, then basic services have been rendered and the person incurs a charge, however, not on the same level as a life-support call.

Last fiscal year, ambulance services in Brunswick netted $805,158 in revenues for the town. Billing for services was actually more than $1.1 million, but low Medicare reimbursement allowances and collection fees cut into net gains for the town.

Town Manager John Eldridge said that revenue from emergency medical services to the town is governed by Medicare and MaineCare, as well as other insurance providers. However, he believes it’s important to bring Brunswick’s fees more in line with other communities.

Insurance coverage

Henze was asked by the council regarding insurance, as to whether more people being billed had retained insurance or had some other forms of coverage. Henze confirmed that the town is trending toward more citizens having insurance.

For those without private insurance, Eldridge clarified that no matter what rate the town sets, Medicare will tell the town what it can charge for services for one of their patients. From whatever amount it allows, Eldridge said Medicare pays 80 percent of that amount, leaving the patient to pay the remaining 20 percent.

The proposed increases will be taken up again by the council on Aug. 15 for a possible vote. What others charge

What others charge

• BRUNSWICK charges $380 for basic life support services, while Bath, Falmouth and Windham are at $600, and Portland $748. The proposed increase to $480 will bring the town in line with 15 coastal communities that when surveyed resulted in a median cost of $479.63.

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