AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CHARGING OF FEES FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES BY THE HARVARD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

ORDINANCE NO. 2019- 19-05 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CHARGING OF FEES FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES BY THE HARVARD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT WHEREAS, the Illinois Fire Protection District Act grants to the Board of Trustees of a fire protection district the authority to “fix, charge and collect fees for emergency ambulance service within or outside of the fire protection district” (70 ILCS 705/22); and WHEREAS, the Harvard Fire Protection District (“District”), McHenry County, Illinois, is a fire protection district duly incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois (70 ILCS 705/1); and WHEREAS, the District renders emergency medical services and other emergency response services, including responding to vehicle fires, on public and private property within or outside the District to resident and non-resident persons, businesses and other entities in the performance of its obligations to the public; and WHEREAS, such emergency medical services incur costs to the District and its residents; and WHEREAS, the District has previously adopted ordinances amending its ambulance billing ordinances; and WHEREAS, the costs to the District of providing such services has steadily increased over the past several years; and WHEREAS, the Board finds that it is in the best interest of the District to amend its charges for providing emergency medical services. NOW THEREFORE Be It Ordained by the Board of Trustees of the Harvard Fire Protection District, McHenry County, Illinois, as follows: Section One: That a fee will be charged for emergency medical services rendered by the Harvard Fire Protection District. All persons provided with ambulance service by the District or any fire protection district or municipality which provides emergency medical services to the District pursuant to a contract or mutual aid agreement with the District will be charged as follows: Base Charges Resident Non-Resident BLS $1,400.00 $1,400.00 ALS1 $1,400.00 $1,400.00 ALS2 $1,400.00 $1,400.00 Additional Charges Mileage $25.00 / Mile $25.00 / Mile Section Two: A. For the purposes of this ordinance, “resident” is defined as someone who permanently resides within the District. B. When emergency medical services are rendered by the District to persons, businesses or other entities who are residents of the District, such persons, businesses or other entities shall not be billed for any additional charges which may exist once payment has been received from the resident’s health insurance provider. Resident’s who are unable to pay for any portion of the fee for emergency medical services may have that portion waived. C. When emergency medical services are rendered by the District to persons, businesses or other entities who are not residents of the District, such persons, businesses or other entities shall be billed for any additional charges which may exist once payment has been received from the non-resident’s health insurance provider. Unpaid balances may be assigned to a debt collection agency of the District’s choice. Section Three: The Board of Trustees shall assign a designee who is hereby directed to adopt administrative regulations to implement this ordinance and is authorized to waive any or all of the fees due from a person, business or other entity under this ordinance. The designee may do so by policy or on an individual basis. Section Four: Nothing in this ordinance shall authorize the District to refuse to provide any service to any person, business or entity that has not paid for services previously provided or that owes any money for services previously provided. Section Five: Any ordinances or parts of ordinances that are in conflict or inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent that they conflict. Section Six: The invalidation of any section, part, provision, term or phrase of this Ordinance shall not affect the validity of the remaining sections of this Ordinance. Section Seven: This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage. Adopted this 9th day of July, 2019 by a roll call vote as follows: AYES: All NAYS: None ABSENT: Trustee Clarke