The Daily Herald recently published an article discussing a planned increase in ambulance fees in Glen Ellyn, aimed at addressing rising operational costs. The village is set to implement several changes to its fee structure starting June 15, 2014, with the goal of balancing expenses and maintaining quality emergency medical services.
Assistant Village Manager Al Stonitsch emphasized that while the fees are not intended to generate profit, they play a critical role in supporting the village’s emergency services. “They help cover some of the costs associated with providing these essential services,†he explained.
In fiscal year 2012-13, the village spent over $1 million on ambulance services but only collected about $744,000 in fees, highlighting the growing financial burden. To address this, trustees unanimously approved three key changes to the fee system.
First, nonresidents will see increases in two advanced life-support service fees—by $103 and $219, respectively. Resident rates and basic life-support fees will remain unchanged.
Second, the village is introducing new charges for “treat/no transport†calls and “citizen assist†calls, which previously went unpaid. These types of calls make up roughly 25% of annual ambulance responses. Officials cited examples from nearby communities like Naperville and Hinsdale, where similar fees are already in place. Based on this research, Glen Ellyn proposed charging $100 and $150 for “treat/no transport†calls, and $50 and $100 for citizen assists.
Fire Chief Jim Bodony noted that many of these calls involve elderly individuals who have fallen and require minimal assistance. “We get the call because they’ve fallen and just need someone to get them back in bed,†he said. He also mentioned concerns about senior care facilities using EMS as a backup when they lack sufficient staff. Trustee Tim Elliott suggested a higher nonresident rate for such facilities, stating, “I would favor a higher nonresident rate for senior facilities that are basically using the paramedics as their backup.â€
To ease the impact on low-frequency users, officials initially proposed a “three strike†rule, under which patients would not be billed until their fourth citizen assist call. However, the board ultimately decided against this proposal.
Finally, the third change involves an annual fee escalation clause that will increase by either 2% or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. This adjustment will take effect in June 2016.
This update reflects ongoing efforts to ensure sustainable funding for emergency services while managing the financial responsibilities of both residents and nonresidents.
Thanks, Dan.
A previous post on funding for the Glen Ellyn VFD.
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