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Home My WebLink About20051181.tiff CORRESPONDENCE RESPONSE DEPARTMENT OF 4 * * * PLEASE RESPOND WITHIN THREE DAYS.* * * IF RESPONSE WILL BE DELAYED, PLEASE NOTIFY "CTB GROUP" BY E-MAIL OF EXPECTED DATE FOR RESPONSE. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Narrative: BOARD ACTION: (Initial by Approval) MG RM BJ DL GV / Agree with Recommedation ✓/ ` �// Worksession METHOD OF RESPONSE: Board Action Work Session Letter (Attached) Telephone Call No Response (explain) Department Head Signature M:\CAROL\O PMAN\RDCOMP2 1,41 qa-76vai 2005-1181 a BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PHONE (970) 336-7204, Ext. 4200 FAX: (970) 352-0242 P. O. BOX 758 WI I D GREELEY, COLORADO 80632 C. COLORADO March 30, 2005 Shirley Fair 4304 Wapiti Way Evans, CO 80620 Dear Ms. Fair: Thank you for contacting the Board of County Commissioners. As part of the review of your concerns, the Weld County Paramedic Services was contacted for additional information. Weld County Paramedic Services has been owned and operated by Weld County Government since 1974, contrary to what was reported in the article in the Greeley Tribune. Weld County Government operates the service as an enterprise, and the service has not received any funding from taxation since 1986. The cost of providing services is funded solely by the fees that are reviewed and set annually by the Board of County Commissioners. Weld County Government has demonstrated a 30 year commitment in delivering state of the art pre-hospital paramedic services to the citizens and visitors of Weld County. We employ highly trained and dedicated staffs who respond to over 10,000 annual requests for service throughout the 4,004 square miles of Weld County. A standard of care once only available in the hospital emergency room is now brought to the scene of emergencies. Rapid paramedic assessment, advanced life support treatment and transport when necessary are now the standard of care. This standard of care, while costly, is provided in a timely and professional manner, and without any funding from taxes. The Weld County Board of Commissioners reviews this model annually to assess its financial soundness. Most citizens, however, would like to have the best care available at the earliest possible moment in an emergency situation. Because our paramedics are so highly trained in providing emergency, pre-hospital care, and because the ambulances are equipped with state of the art emergency medical equipment, there are many emergency calls where adequate treatment can be provided on scene, and the patient does not need to be transported at all. The federal government has set fee schedules that do not allow the ambulance services to bill and collect the cost of providing emergency medical services. Medicare and Medicaid patients along with those who are unable or unwilling to pay for the cost of services have a significant impact on ambulance service rates. Weld County makes every attempt to maintain fees for ambulance services as low as possible. Again, thanks for your inquiry, and for giving us the opportunity to explain how the Weld County Paramedic Services is structured to provide the highest quality of emergency medical services to every citizen or visitor in Weld County at the lowest possible cost, and with no tax dollars. If you have any additional questions or concerns about this service or the cost, please feel free to contact the Director of the Weld County Paramedic Services, Dave Bressler, at 353- 5700, extension 3211. Very truly yours, WELD COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS William H. Jerke, Chair WHJ/db K-DpvCO -D-r7) crAG7,-----� vim, ,�� Div �G ir fob oGiCd oy (71 l it ( jj ,-7,--r--;-;" / , l p� ,�r'/li 7 _ ALP 7:Sr 7/11 f//C/l I V v-pa��,zf�i7D2�? (12 /o2. ate'/- —d'-Y7/ �//fj� L- ��a '� 4 GYM 2 rfr nr a 71 rayr, — Wpar2 4-577 ("7 9O8 P'd arpvn-rneiV >g/ I 0—(2( l r7,--e-,op _?•(7-- 2/ 'Olfrr/cf? ; . Monday,March 14,2004 ►rary plates can only be renewed twice car,they can renew it twice for They set the rates:'he said. Just like hospital bills,or emer- county or city? 60 days each,totaling 180 days. I Those rates,of course,are gency room bills,that increases Jeff Jerome at the Weld However,we were told some j high partly because some peo- the costs to others who can pay County Public Works people change the date them- ©N ple can't pay,and the people or have insurance. A Department said officials selves,possibly using a black who can,or have health incur- About a mile east of don't put up advance-warning pen or some White-Out,which 1NEB4 ance,have to make up the dif- Greeley on 8th Street signs for county roads but only is illegal,of course.If you want PAIKE ference.Government insurance toward the Greeley/ for highways. t our neighbor,call the t PET EtCtS is part of the problem. We Airport is Weld County There are too many county re ley po ' e at 350-9600. Medicare,for example,pays Road 43.It is a major north- road intersections to put up We rec ly had an I t the ambulance serv- only 40 percent of the cost of south road from Colo.14 to advance-warning signs;it emerge y and had to ice was private company. the ambulance trip.Medicaid Greeley.There are no signs would be too costly and would call an bulance. D ve Bressler,director of pays only 7 percent.Federal identifying the road.There is create sign pollution with that en we go a bill for$1,200 .• th Weld County Para- laws prohibit the county from one sign that says,"Colo.14,11 many signs,Jerome said.How- for the ' o the hospital,I m dic Services,said it is billing the patients for the rest, miles,"but not warning that a ever,at the intersection of p ed to the ambulance a part the Weld County gov- so that's all that's paid on the county road is coming up.We County Road 43 and East 8th company.The company told t. bill.Some patients can't afford need signs identifying it as a T- Street,he said workers will me the cost of the ambulance is ' e're county employees to pay,and even though they intersection and also telling the likely put up a street intersec- set by the Board of Weld Coun- since 1987,when the county took send the bill to collections,most drivers what road it is.Who do tion sign to at least identify ty Commissioners.Is this true? over the ambulance company. of the time,the bill is never paid. we call on this—the state, those roads. 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