EMS Billing Frequently Asked Questions
1. What portion do Trumansburg village taxpayers pay for EMS services?
Village portion of EMS Budget: $109,966.19
Total Village Tax Levy: $562,120.09
Percentage of Levy for EMS Services: 19.6%
EMS portion of tax rate: $1.22 of $6.25 per $1000
2. What is the next step in the decision making process for EMS Billing?
The next step will be to approach the other municipalities with whom we contract to get their opinion in the form of a resolution. After that the Village Board will discuss our
options and make a decision to move forward with billing, leave things as they are, or investigate other options for providing a high standard of care at a reasonable cost.
3. What is the law that makes it illegal to hold a referendum on EMS Billing?
The law is Municipal Home Rule Law, Article 3, Section 23 (Click on the link for the full text
of the law).
Additionally, the reason we can’t have a referendum is not listed in this law; this law lists the reasons why we can have a referendum. The reason we can’t have a referendum is a result of case law
referring to this law and other cases adjudicated almost 100 years ago. They are: Supreme Court case: 60 misc. 2nd 1081, Meredith vs. Monahan (citing Court of Appeals decisions: 219 NY 213,
Mills vs. Sweeny and 243 NY 401), and McCabe vs. Voorhis.
4. If you do go to the billing option, does that mean that part of our taxes will go away?
Yes. Village taxes (for which I am able to speak) and presumably taxes in other municipalities would be lessened by the amount that we would receive from the billing process.
5. Would stand-by services for the school and the fair, for example, have to be charged to the school, or would they continue to be free services. Also, the Village currently sponsors
blood pressure clinics, community CPR and First Aid courses, and EMS week activities. Would these also remain free or would there be charges associated with them?
Stand-by services for community events (i.e. school sports, the fair, etc.) would not have to be charged. These services could be determined as for the public good and the taxpayers
would continue to share the cost.
6. Are you willing to guarantee forgiveness on the bills for those who do not have the means to pay?
The short answer is no. All patients must be treated the same regardless of their ability to pay. What we can do as a Village is to make sure there are solutions to this issue.
The subscription plan mentioned at the public hearing and non-aggressive collections would be the ways by which we could assist those who have trouble paying.
7. Did the task force ever consider the idea that Trumansburg return to a completely volunteer system, having a contract with Bangs Ambulance for the 6am-6pm, 12 hour shift?
What kind of cost savings would be associated with a service set up in this manner?
The Village Board has not seriously considered this option because it does not alleviate any of the concerns raised with the idea of going to billing. There is still the issue of people
who are uninsured receiving bills, and Bangs would be more aggressive about collection than the Village would be. While it might be possible to bill only during the day and to have taxpayer
supported EMS service at night, and while it could potentially save money in comparison to our current system, it does not outweigh the concerns of bringing a for-profit company into our
Fire District to provide EMS service. Additionally, it would be entirely unfair to have one system of billing during the day and another at night.
8. Why can't we just go back to a 24-hour volunteer service?
It would be wonderful if the Village had a large enough number of trained volunteer EMT's who were willing and able to cover all shifts. The simple fact is that we don't. Let's not forget - a paid
staff was not hired to drive away a burgeoning volunteer corp, a dwindling volunteer corp made it necessary to hire a paid staff.
