§ 4-8. Emergency medical services and advanced life support fees and charges

(a) Definitions. For purposes of the section, the following terms and phrases shall have their corresponding meanings, to-wit:

(1) The term "city" shall mean and refer to the City of Lake Station, Indiana.

(2) The term "person" shall mean and refer to any human being, and shall include, without limitation, a person's administrator, executor, guardian, personal representative, custodian, or successor-in-interest by any name.

(3) The term "emergency medical/advanced life support department" shall mean and refer to the Lake Station Emergency Medical Services/Advanced Life Support Department.

(4) The term "director" shall mean and refer to the department head of the emergency medical/advanced life support department.

(b) Refusal of service. Any conscious person over eighteen (18) elapsed years of age has the right to refuse service of the EMS/ALS department; provided, however, a refusal of service form shall be signed by any person refusing treatment or refusing to be taken to the hospital.

(c) Transportation to hospital. A person utilizing the services of the EMS/ALS department shall be taken to the nearest licensed hospital. All emergency patients shall be taken to the receiving hospitals only and not any doctor's office or any clinic.

(d) The City of Lake Station shall charge the following fees:

(1) Basic life support emergency charge .....$400.00

Defined as: Where medically necessary, the provision of basic life support services as defined in the National EMS Education and Practices Blueprint for the EMT-Basic.

(2) Advanced life support Level 1 charge .....$500.00

Defined as: Where medically necessary, the provision of an assessment by an advanced life support provider and/or the provision of one (1) or more ALS interventions.

(3) Advanced life support Level 2 charge .....$700.00

Defined as: Where medically necessary, the administration of at least three (3) different medications and/or the provision of one (1) or more of the following ALS procedures:

a. Manual defibrillation /cardioversion

b. Endotracheal intubation

c. Central venous line

d. Cardiac pacing

e. Chest decompression

f. Surgical airway

g. Intraosseus line

(4) Advanced life support refusal of service .....$150.00

Defined as: Where medically necessary, the provision of an assessment by an advanced life support provider and/or the provision of one (1) or more ALS interventions. After treatment under advanced life support Level 1, patient refuses further treatment and transportation to an emergency medical center. Patient then signs a refusal of service and all ALS procedures are then discontinued.

(5) Nonresident impact fee, added to each above .....$100.00

Defined as: For the purposes of this section, a "resident" shall mean a person who resides in the corporate boundaries of the city or a person who pays property taxes for real estate locates in the corporate boundaries of the city the time the service is rendered. A "nonresident" shall mean a person who does not reside in the corporate boundaries of the city or a person who does not pay property taxes for real estate locates in the corporate boundaries of the city at the time services are rendered.

(6) Mileage charge for ambulance services, per mile .....$9.79

Defined as: This charge shall begin from the time the ambulance arrives at the patient's home or pick-up point to the arrival at the hospital or termination point.

(7) Medical service fee for oxygen fee within the scope of emergency medical services at the basic life support level .....$14.25

(e) In the event payment is made for ambulance services to a resident of the city by a third-party pay or, the emergency medical services department may accept assignment of said payment in full satisfaction of the amount due from the resident, and/or, in its discretion, waive collection of the balance due.

(f) Payment for any fee for emergency medical services provided by the Lake Station EMS may be paid by credit card. The Lake Station EMS shall implement the use of credit card services upon adoption of this ordinance.

(g) A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) is established for any check returned for non-sufficient funds (NSF fee) paid for services provided by the Lake Station EMS.

(Ord. No. 2000-8, § 1, 4-6-2000; Ord. No. 2005-25, § 1, 8-4-2005; Ord. No. 2007-24, § 1, 10-4-2007; Ord. No. 2008-26, § 1, 9-18-2008; Ord. No. 2011-24, § 1, 12-29-2011)