Committee Explores Ambulance Fees
By Leslie Rott

After receiving a bill of $15,805 from Allied EMS Systems, Inc., the finance committee met Wednesday, August 24, with Dave Slifka, Allied’s executive director, and Debra Meert, the company’s director of finance, to discuss what the City of Mackinac Island owes for ambulance services.

The bill that the City received is for half of the total loss in revenue for the last six months, owing in part to higher overhead for the service. As the year progresses, it is expected that run volume will go up and revenue loss will be reduced.

Mr. Slifka said the reason the City owes more at this point, as compared to last year, is that the city’s ambulance service certification was elevated from basic to limited advance, meaning that certified Emergency Medical Technicians are able to treat patients at the scene. No longer a “load-and-go” to the Mackinac Island Medical Center, according to Mr. Slifka, not only is the volume of runs increasing, so are the wages required to pay EMTs for their work.

Mr. Slifka added that although the EMTs are certified at the limited advance level, most of the calls they receive still fall under the category of basic. EMTs get paid more per call, but the calls do not make up for that wage increase.

It is estimated that, year to date, there have been 40 more runs this year than last, however, it was not known how many of those were emergency service calls and how many were for simply transporting patients.

Committee Member Jason St. Onge said he expected that the amount of money owed to Allied would be going down.

Mayor Assistant Kelly Bean assured him that the numbers are normal.

“This is exactly how it goes every year,” she said. Mr. Slifka agreed, estimating that by the end of the year, the City should end up with a credit.

The City budgets $30,000 a year to subsidize the contracted Allied operation, which includes, but is not limited to EMT wages and benefits and vehicle repair and upkeep.

Mr. Slifka said the financial issues are not unique to the City of Mackinac Island.

“It’s something we are all facing because of the State’s new standards,” he said. “We’re doing everything we can to be creative and keep these expenses in line.”

The committee asked that Allied send quarterly financial reports to the City so they could be more closely monitored.

“We just needed to get it clarified in our heads,” Mayor Margaret Doud told the representatives from Allied.