Summary of Specifications:
4.1. General/Background: The City of Grand Junction Fire Department serves an area of 77 square miles with a population of approximately 80,000 residents. The City of Grand Junction Fire Department is a career department with 120 employees operating out of 5 fire stations. The Fire Department transports approximately 8,500 patients a year to area hospitals.
The current ambulance user fees are as follows: • $980 for Advanced Life Support (ALS) • $719 for Basic Life Support (BLS) • $1,068 for ALS Critical Care Transport • $816 for BLS Critical Care Transport • $3,258 Critical Care/Specialty Care • $15 per mile transportation charge
The City of Grand Junction charges an average of $6.3 million for services a year, with collections averaging $2.5 million a year. Our average collection rate is between 60%-62%. This percentage takes into account the mandated write-offs. The City of Grand Junction has a large population of Medicare, Medicaid and Veterans residents. Therefore, approximately 55% of billings have been attributed to Medicare/Medicaid/Veterans. The City of Grand Junction has a Financial Assistance program and accepts payment plans for patients unable to pay the entire amount of their ambulance bill. The Financial Assistance Program write-offs for 2013 totaled $13,835. Accounts sent to collections are sent to a third-party collection agency, chosen by the City of Grand Junction, to work in conjunction with the ambulance billing company to produce all necessary documentation for collection purposes.
Currently, all billing and collection services are being done in-house. Proposals received will be evaluated against current operations. The City of Grand Junction, at its sole discretion, will choose the alternative that best serves the City of Grand Junction’s best interests.
