Agenda

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City Council Regular Meeting

Meeting Date:

08/27/2019

BACKGROUND

Texas implemented the Texas Ambulance Services Supplemental Payment Program (TASSPP) in February 2009. It is a state and federally approved program that offsets a portion of the loss incurred when providing services to Medicaid and uninsured patients.

With City Council approval, Schertz EMS began participating in the program in fiscal year 2015. To continue to generate TASSPP revenue in the future, CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) is mandating that reimbursement will only be for charity care patients. Schertz EMS does not currently have a charity care policy. To continue participating in TASSPP we must have a policy in place by October 1. 2019. This policy must detail charity determination requirements for billing purposes.

GOAL

To implement a charity care policy to continue participating in TASSPP. The charity care determination policy is similar to what we currently do in determining private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid.

COMMUNITY BENEFIT

Approving a charity care policy will benefit our citizens who do not have insurance and do not have the ability to pay for ambulance services.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED ACTION

N/A

FISCAL IMPACT

Since FY 2015, Schertz EMS has been reimbursed $897,974 from TASSPP. Staff is estimating payments between $240,000 - $320,000 for FY 2020 and FY 2021. Future cost reports only using charity care are estimated to be similar to these payments in the future.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends City Council approve Resolution 19-R-102.

Attachments
Resolution
Schertz EMS Billing Policy