Watch EMS Transport Fee Video

Montgomery County’s emergency medical services (EMS) are world class and it is important that we do everything possible to keep them that way. Unfortunately, it’s not easy as we are facing increasing resource demands and decreasing revenue due to current fiscal constraints.

County residents will not pay anything under the new fee. The fee will be billed directly to residents’ insurance companies, which have already factored the cost of patient transport into their rate schedules. The fee will be waived for uninsured residents.

On June 10, 2008, County Executive Isiah Leggett introduced to the Council Bill 25-08: Emergency Medical Services Transport Fee - Imposition which will allow the Fire and Rescue Service to impose and collect a fee to recover costs generated by providing emergency medical service transports from health insurance companies.

The choices are clear. Either a dedicated revenue source is needed to help keep our emergency medical services first class or taxes may have to be increased to make up the difference.

Montgomery County is one of the few jurisdictions in the region that is not already (or in the process of) collecting an EMS fee from insurance companies.

An EMS fee will keep our emergency medical services strong. It is projected to net at least $12.7 million in the first full year of operation. One hundred percent of the net proceeds will be dedicated to meeting the rising costs and increasing resource demands, and to fund enhancements. New fire apparatus, additional staff, new stations in the growing upcounty area, and incentives for volunteer opportunities will all be supported by the EMS fee.

The proposal has the support of the County Senior Citizen Fire Safety Task Force, the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 1664, the Montgomery County Uniformed Career Officers Association, the East County Citizens Advisory Board, and the Montgomery County Education Association, among others.

Adrienne Lees, Silver Spring, MD —

"Being a retired Emergency Room Nurse, I was opposed to the ambulance fee proposal when I first heard about it. After reading and talking with people and getting the facts, it is clear to me that this proposal has been given thoughtful consideration and every concern that people might have has been addressed. I strongly support the ambulance fee proposal and it should be enacted the sooner the better."

LeRoy Oettinger, Brookeville, MD —

"...I believe that the one true measure of a fire and EMS department's effectiveness in delivering emergency service to the community is the amount of time it takes from when they call 911 to the arrival of help. This response time is critical in effectively treating a medical emergency or beginning the attack on a hostile fire. Both station location and staffing levels contribute to the overall response time. Bill 25-08 will insure now and for the future that response times will decline as service improves.

Over ten years ago, I and others attempted to convince fire and government leadership that failing to charge for EMS service was, in fact, leaving money on the table. The timing for this was not right and the idea didn't go very far. At the time there was no County Fire Chief and the service was much more divided than today.

The opponents used the same arguments then as they will now about people being hesitant to call for fear of being charged for the service. I had staff check with jurisdictions that charge for this service and they found no reduction in call load.

It is certainly an idea whose time has come and I applaud your submitting the legislation."