By Angela Hill

Ambulance fees could increase

Dec 15, 2010 | 10:48 AM

The Ministry of Health is raising the maximum that can be charged for an ambulance trip, but it’s up to health region boards to approve it.

In the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region, administration is suggesting their board accept the full increase.

“This is something the administration will be recommending to the board for their consideration,” said John Piggott, vice-president operations for Prince Albert Parkland Health Region.

Certain cities, which have 24-hour advanced paramedic level services, will be allowed to increase the basic-call, pick-up fee to $325. Prince Albert falls into this category, whereas smaller communities will have a maximum for the basic fee of $245 per call, if passed.

The per-kilometre charge will be allowed to increase also, by 10 cents to a maximum of $2.30 per kilometre. Waiting time charges will remain the same.

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The fees pay for everything for the ambulance services from facility maintenance to paramedic wages, said Piggott. The last time there was an increase was July 2006.

“It’s not very complicated arithmetic to see that since 2006 there have been price increases, inflation and so forth and this has been a while coming,” he said.

“It’s not hard to see how health care paramedic wages and price of buying and operating ambulance equipment would increase.”

It doesn’t matter if the ambulance service is privately owned or municipally owned, they all need to balance their books, said Piggott.

“You can see how this kind of thing would be necessary, all things being equal.”

The next scheduled meeting for the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region board is not until February, said Doug Dahl, communications officer for the region.

They will hold a special tele-meeting to decide on the raise during the next couple of weeks, he said.

The province said it will continue to provide financial assistance to seniors and lower-income earners to help cover the costs of ambulance services.

ahill@panow.com