Dickson County Ambulance Service adjusts run rate structure, adds new fees

The Dickson County Ambulance Service has a new fee structure in place that the director says brings it more in line with what other emergency medical services are charging. Director Donny Bear told the county commission last week that new fees also will bring in revenue that he says was being “left on the table.” The new fee structure approved by the county commission last week actually reduces the service’s charge for emergency and non-emergency transport calls. The fee drops from $700 to $575 for emergency runs and $475 for non-emergency. Bear said that fee is more in the neighborhood of what other services charge and also more accurately reflects what the service can expect to be reimbursed by Tenncare and Medicare. The new structure also increases the mileage charge added to runs from 10 cents per mile to 14 cents. New fees being added to the service include run charges for specialty care calls as well as an hourly rate for being present at private events. The service will now charge $100 an hour to have a unit and two-man crew on standby at private events. Bear cited the annual motocross event in Leatherwood as an example of a private event that contracts with the service to provide coverage. The rate for adding a third crew member is now $28 a hour. Bear said the service has not previously charged for private events, which he said resulted in missed revenue. Bear said the fee would not apply to county school functions such as football games, which the service will continue to staff at no charge.