Pa. Mayor Requests Proposals From For-Profit Ambulance Companies

April 09--WILKES-BARRE -- Mayor Tony George is eyeing major changes to the city-run ambulance service and has asked two for-profit companies to submit proposals.

Trans-Med Ambulance, recently named by George as the city's primary backup service, submitted a plan to eliminate the city-run ambulance operation entirely and take over, according to an outline of the proposal obtained by The Citizens' Voice.

Commonwealth Health Emergency Medical Services, or CHEMS, submitted a proposal for ambulance services at the request of George, said spokeswoman Renita Fennick, who declined to offer any details about the plan.

"At the time the mayor requested our proposal, we were told another company had already been approached," Fennick said.

George did not return emails and calls Thursday and Friday but in a recent interview, he confirmed he was open to privatizing the ambulance service.

"I am exploring having someone else do the ambulance service," George said. "I'll be honest with you. What it comes down to is our budget. You can't provide services if you don't have a tax base," George said.

News that George is looking to shake up the city-run operation follows weeks of controversy over his decision to end a mutual aid agreement with ambulance services in neighboring towns to make for-profit Trans-Med the primary backup.

Councilwoman Beth Gilbert, who has been critical of George's ambulance changes, on Friday criticized the move toward privatization.

"Municipalities who have privatized their services in the past have come around to make their services public-based. I truly believe we are going backwards, rather than progressing our services for our residents," Gilbert said. "This will have a detrimental effect on our city. If the mayor wants to save money, I can assure him this is not the proper route to take. Emergency and public services should not, in any circumstance, take the first hit."

Before the city fire department started running the ambulance service in the mid-1970s, for-profit company A1 Ambulance was the sole provider for that service, according to Sean Changler, a former chief paramedic with the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department.

Chandler, who wrote a scathing editorial against George's change to the ambulance mutual aid response system, said A1 Ambulance closed without notice and left the city with two van ambulances that were in deplorable condition.

"The city was left in dire straits," he said.

The city currently runs two ambulances, staffed by a paramedic and an emergency medical technician/firefighter who is the driver. When both units are busy, a backup is called.

Taxpayers are paying each EMT/firefighter about $70,000 a year to drive the ambulance, George said. The city budgets for eight positions, but it ends up amounting to 12 or 13 people when accounting for overtime, he said. He reiterated he may have to lay off 10 firefighters soon if finances don't improve -- a warning he first issued early in the year while lobbying for changes to the city budget including a tax increase.

The city budgeted $1.62 million in 2015 to run its two ambulances and collected just a little more than that in reimbursements and payments by patients, Fire Chief Jay Delaney said. In other years, costs far outweighed reimbursements, Delaney acknowledged.

In its proposal, Trans-Med offered to add a third ambulance to run in the city and make available more units when needed. It will consider leasing the current facilities housing Wilkes-Barre ambulances.

George noted he'd have union issues to deal with if he decides to make any changes.

Trans-Med's proposal assures "all City of Wilkes-Barre employees impacted by the future state of EMS response will be offered employment with Trans-Med."

The proposal, however, contradicts what Homer Berlew, president of Trans-Med, told city council members at Monday's meeting when they passed a nonbinding resolution in favor of keeping the current mutual aid agreement.

Berlew mentioned nothing about a potential takeover when council Chairman Bill Barrett asked whether there was discussion about "anything taking place ... further down the road."

"No," Berlew said. "Actually, what we're waiting for right now is we're waiting for some input from the 911 center to finalize positions of units, designated units for the city. And we also are looking for some data that we can determine how many units really should be designated to the city from our staff."

Dave Prohaska, public relations director for Trans-Med, did not return a phone call on Friday.

Under the mutual aid agreement being replaced, Hanover's Medic 9 was backup for the southern end of the city, Kingston's Medic 13 handled Center City, Plains' Medic 2 served the northern part of the city -- all three of which are nonprofits -- and Trans-Med was the primary backup for the Heights, North End and East End sections.

George had argued that he made Trans-Med the primary backup because it was "the lowest-cost provider." However, an analysis by The Citizens' Voice found Kingston's Medic 13 actually offered lower rates in many instances.

Additionally, the paper learned it might even cost Wilkes-Barre residents more with Trans-Med because Kingston's unit did not charge people the remaining balance of what insurance didn't cover. George had argued the lion's share of the savings would be realized by people with private insurance because Trans-Med's rates were cheaper.

Public health coverage, such as state Medical Assistance or Medicare, pays a flat rate for service which is specified by law.

bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2055, @cvbobkal

jseibel@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2110, @cvseibel

Copyright 2016 - The Citizens' Voice, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.