DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — Douglas County leaders have implemented a new fee for ambulance calls that do not result in a patient being transported to a hospital, citing rising costs and thousands of non-emergency calls that are straining emergency medical resources.
The new policy took effect June 1 and imposes a flat $100 fee on patients who receive treatment from Douglas County Fire/EMS personnel but refuse transport to a medical facility.
Officials told Channel 2’s Eryn Rogers that the move is intended to help offset costs associated with ambulance responses and medical treatment provided on scene.
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“People call a lot for non-emergency needs, or they call us as a point of access to get into the health care system,” said Stacie Farmer, deputy chief of EMS operations.
According to the department, EMS crews responded to approximately 5,600 calls last year in which patients were treated but declined transportation to a hospital. That accounted for roughly 33% of the department’s annual call volume.
“You call us for a reason, and it has to be more than just checking your blood pressure, checking your blood sugar,” Douglas County Fire/EMS Chief Miles Allen said.
Allen said the department brought the issue before the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, which approved the fee. In a letter to commissioners, Allen wrote that while emergency medical care will never be delayed or denied based on a patient’s ability to pay, the department needs a funding mechanism to recover costs associated with high-cost treatments.
The letter estimated the department would need approximately $336,000 annually in cost recovery to cover expenses currently absorbed by its operating budget. That estimate is based on what officials described as a conservative 60% collection rate.
“We use our resources, we use our equipment, and our time, and it actually takes us away from real emergencies,” Allen said.
Department leaders say ambulance transports are a key source of revenue because insurance companies can be billed for those services. When a patient declines transport, the department is often unable to recover the costs of medications and medical supplies used during the response.
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“You’re using your pharmaceuticals, you’re using hot packs, cold packs, things like that on scene. There’s a cost, and we can’t recoup that cost if we don’t transport or don’t have a response fee,” Farmer said.
Officials emphasized that the fee is not intended to generate profit, but rather to help sustain emergency medical operations.
“Taxpayers are paying for the response, they’re paying for us to respond to the home, but once you get inside the ambulance, insurance companies are billed for that transport,” Allen said.
Farmer said the department will first bill a patient’s insurance company for the fee, although not all insurers will cover the cost, so then the patient is responsible.
She encouraged residents not to hesitate to call 911 during emergencies.
“Call 911 if you need it. Just be mindful that emergency services are there for emergencies,” Farmer said.
The department said there are several exceptions to the new fee.
“We have a lot of patient assists for individuals that fall, so there’s no fee for that,” Farmer said. “For our high utilizers, people that call 911 consistently every month. We have mobile integrated health that’s willing to come out and help them to access care. We have some people in the community that don’t want to get on MIH, but want to continue using 911 as their healthcare, their primary source of health care, so if you are willing to be enrolled in the MIH plan, then there’s no cost for those assessments or treatments if you’re part of that plan.”
She said they also have telehealth access.
“If we refer you to RightSite, then there’s no, there’s no cost,” Farmer said. “If you go to a fire station to have your blood pressure checked, there’s no cost for that. If you call 911 to have us go to your home to do a blood pressure check, there is a response fee.”
Officials say the goal is to preserve emergency resources while ensuring Douglas County Fire/EMS can continue providing critical care throughout the community.
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