Falls Church leaders are seeking a compromise on a new ambulance fees agreement with Arlington County.
In addition to increasing the amount that the City of Falls Church pays for fire and ambulance services, the proposed agreement would cap the amount of revenue that the city can receive from ambulance transport fees at $295,000 annually.
Any generated revenues over $295,000 would go to Arlington County.
At a City Council work session on Monday, leaders raised concerns about leaving the maximum rate fixed over the life of a contract that will run 5 to 10 years. Mayor Letty Hardi asked staff from both jurisdictions to see if they could build in an inflationary component before the proposal returns for final action.
Until now, there has been no upper limit on the amount Falls Church has received from Arlington for ambulance transports that begin inside the city limits. The proposed $295,000 cap is based on what Falls Church officials expect to receive this year.
The governing bodies of both localities must ratify all changes.
Starting July 1, ambulance fees for rides originating in Arlington and Falls Church are expected to rise either 33% or 50%, depending on the type of service delivered. The fees are set by the Arlington government as part of the agreement between the jurisdictions.
“This is not a money-making effort. This is just trying to recover costs,” Arlington Fire Chief David Povlitz told Arlington County Board members during the county’s budget process.
County Board members approved raising fees for transport to $1,000 for basic life support and $1,500 for advanced life support, plus $18 per mile.
Current rates are $750 and $1,000, depending on the level of service, plus $15 per mile.
Under the existing payment protocol, patients using Medicare, Medicaid and TriCare (military health care) are not billed for any amount beyond what those health providers reimburse Arlington for ambulance service.
People with private medical insurance are billed for any excess not covered by their provider, and those with no insurance are billed directly.
Waivers exist for those with financial hardships.
In addition to service from Arlington County, the Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department also provides EMS services in the city. The organization recently celebrated its centennial.
Library’s birthday celebration wins state accolades
The 125th-anniversary celebration of Falls Church’s Mary Riley Styles Public Library brought two awards from the Virginia Public Library Directors Association (VPLDA).
The Impactful Marketing and Outreach Campaign award was bestowed on Falls Church for its promotion of the event, while the VPLDA Outstanding Staff Member of the Year Award was presented to Paula Hawkins for her leadership in marking the event.
Both awards were in the category of Virginia libraries serving under 25,000 people.
In addition, Mary Riley Styles Public Library again received the Virginia Public Library Gold Standard of Excellence award from the statewide organization.
