Slow selling on EMS fees
Christiansburg wants to build support before it starts charging for ambulance rides.
In government, as in business, success often hinges on how one sells something. Raise prices while offering little discernible benefit and people get upset. Take your time, explain how new fees will help everyone and suddenly it is something consumers or taxpayers can get behind.
Christiansburg is wisely pursuing the latter course as it considers usage fees for ambulance services.
May 6, 2012 - 8:06 AM
This actually makes sense and perhaps Montgomery County should investigate this also. Christiansburg Fire and Rescue, Elliston Fire, and Shawsville Rescue respond to quite a number of incidents and mishaps on I-81, incurring costs for fuel, supplies, and some equipment. Probably very few of those involved are residents of the county who pay taxes, but more than likely just about everyone does have auto insurance (and health insurance) that covers expenses for ambulances and the like. How much would it cost the county to create a rate table, then send a bill to the insurance company after a wreck? If it gets a check, great, the fire dept. and rescue squads come out ahead. If not, nothing lost.
As to the other piece of this, it doesn’t take too long of listening to a scanner to determine that some “emergency” calls aren’t really necessary, but are more of a taxi service to an overburdened hospital ER. A lot of calls could be handled by drive to visit the family doctor, if the people involved could drive or had a family doctor — to be blunt. But lacking one or the other or both, it is easy to call 911 and get a free visit from the rescue squad, who more than likely will provide a free ride to the hospital.