09-12-85 Safety Comm Minutes4:00 P.M. SAFETY COMMITTEE September 12, 1985
The committee met in the Council Chambers; present were Chairman Schindler, Councilman
Grainger, Police Chief Stefanic, Fire Chief Doty, Asst. Chief Larson, City Attorney
• Meier, Judge Paul Willis and Clerk Pat Wagner.
Timberline: Warrant/Delinouent Ambulance Bill Collection
C. Schindler opened the meeting by asking for discussion on the possibility of going to
private service for collections. Timberline Investigations is the interested firm.
They would collect full amounts and assess a fee on top of that.
C. A. Meier reports that letters from his office result in some of the unpaid bills be-
ing ultimately paid. He expressed concern about authority and control in private ser-
vice collection and said he could undertand reluctance from the police department in
attempting to enforce payment of a $2 ticket-. The Judge's office is collecting between
$12,000-$15,000 monthly in fines, he is not sure how much goes unpaid.
Clerk Wagner reported that with day shift crew being shorthanded, a lot of parking
tickets remain unpaid and nothing is done. The consequent threat of the tickets going
to warrants is not very frightening. Half of the tickets are estimated to be outside
and we cannot go outside city limits.
C. Doty stated that we are writing off near $11,000 in ambulance bills. 55% of calls
are Medicare covered, which allows only $68 payment on a $100 charge. His department
must accept assignment to assure receiving the benefit payment, otherwise it goes to
the patient. Last month, the department did not meet payroll, $7,000 was brought in-
$10,000 charged for runs. On current billing, 2-3 people cannot pay, 8-9 are deceased,
leaving no estate and 6-8 have filed for bankruptcy.
After allowing 120 days for bills to be processed by insurance, Doty said, they can be
turned over for collection. Discussion followed re responsibility in paying ambulance
• bills, patient's refusal to be transported via ambulance after a run is made. It was
mentioned that current hospital policy for uninsured patients is requiring $500 payment
before admittance and contracting for a monthly payment on the balance of charges.
C. Grainger stated that the policy for the last 91� years he has been involved has been
to "haul" patients and hope for payment.
C. A. Meier asked about ambulance billing procedure and was told that the clerk was
half ambulance -half water department salaried._ He asked if more control on ambulance
wouldn't be had by having a clerk located in the Fire Department. C. Grainger heartily
agreed and pointed out that for over 9 years he has stated repeatedly that a full time
secretary was needed in that office for ambulance billing, but it was felt that this
could not be afforded. He asked that this be shown in the minutes. He said that the
120 day delay could be cut to 60 days and that having someone to maintain a running
account would help immensely in bill collection. More time could be spent in following
up on supplemental insurance also.
Chief Doty estimates that a 20% increase will be required in ambulance rates, and then
it will take a year for Medicare to reflect the increase. He said that the minimum
ambulance charge in the state of Missouri is $260!
General consensus was the benefit of a fulltime ambulance clerk maintaining billing and
collecting and the real risk of misrepresentation, the question of liability insurance,
involved in private service.
Policy on opening unlocked cars
C. Schindler advised that Timberline has also requested the service of opening cars. If
• this were given to Timberline the Police Department would be out of it during daylight
hours, but services must be provided from midnight until 6:00 A.M. because of safety
problem.
Safety Committee Page 2 September 12, 1985
• Judge Willis stated that all cars were going towards electronic, that in 5 years we
would be out of the car unlocking business. This service is good Police Department
public relations, that it is also part of the job of accident investigators. Too often,
he said, officers are called upon to do negative things, this is providing a positive,
good service.
Chief Stefanic said that officers did complain about repeat calls for the same people
and at impatience when people have to wait a little while for service. C. Grainger
felt that a raise would make the complaints less important.
C. Grainger stated that the minutes should contain -if nothing else came out of this
meeting -two recommendations from the committee. Chairman Schindler moved to recommend
considering employing a full time secretary in the Fire Department for ambulance bill-
ing and follow up. C. Grainger is certain this will increase ambulance department
revenue, and seconded the motion. C. Schindler's second motion was to maintain pre-
sent policy of the Police Department in unlocking locked car doors. This was also
seconded by Councilman Grainger.
The meeting adjourned at 4:55 P. M.
Markie Sabo]
Recording Secretary
•