HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-77 - RESCINDED SEE 2019-105 - Approving Paramedic Service Charges Pursuant to Chapter 5.60 of the Newport Beach Municipal Code RESOLUTION NO. 2015-77
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING PARAMEDIC
SERVICE CHARGES PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 5.60 OF THE
NEWPORT BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE
WHEREAS, the City Council is authorized, pursuant to Chapter 5.60 of the Newport
Beach Municipal Code, to establish, by resolution, fees and charges for the provision of
paramedic or emergency medical services (EMS); and
WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach has, since 1975, maintained and operated a
paramedic service program designed to provide emergency medical services for residents of,
employees in, or visitorsto, NewportBeach; and
WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach currently maintains three Advanced Life
Support ambulances; two standby ambulances with Advanced Life Support and Basic Life
Support capabilities for periods of high call volume; and, the fire engine closest to a call for
service also provides emergency medical services; and
WHEREAS, as a component of the City's comprehensive EMS system, the City of
Newport Beach provides emergency ambulance transportation services; and
WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach, through automatic aid agreements, provides to,
and receives from, emergency medical services nearby public entities such as the cities of
Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach,and Irvine (Orange County Fire Authority); and
WHEREAS, the City's General Fund revenues currently defray a portion of the cost of
providing emergency medical services; and
WHEREAS, it is estimated that 65 percent of the calls for emergency medical services
are from residents; and
WHEREAS, the revenue generated by the charges established in this Resolution will
be used solely to maintain and enhance the City's ability to provide paramedic and
emergency medical service and emergency ambulance transportation service within the
City of Newport Beach and in other jurisdictions pursuant to automatic aid agreements.
NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Newport Beach does hereby
RESOLVE as follows:
SECTION 1: This Resolution establishes a Paramedic Subscription Program. The basic
concept of this program is to: (1) establish reasonable charges for all recipients of Advanced
Life Support (ALS); ALS Non-Transport; Basic Life Support (BLS); BLS Non-Transport; and,
emergency ambulance transportation services provided by the Newport Beach Fire
Department; and (2) provide a mechanism for residents and businesses to cap their emergency
medical service and emergency ambulance transportation costs while supporting the City's
EMS system. The fees and charges authorized by this Resolution are intended to defray the
Resolution No. 2015-77
Page 2 of 6
costs of providing a comprehensive EMS program that provides emergency ambulance
transportation services within the City of Newport Beach. The fees and charges authorized by
this resolution shall be used solely to maintain and enhance the City's ability to provide
paramedic and emergency medical services and emergency ambulance transportation
services.
SECTION 2: Definitions. The purpose of this Resolution, the following terms shall be defined
as provided in this Section:
a. "Advanced Life Support" or "ALS" shall mean any advanced life support medical
evaluation and treatment performed by paramedics outside of a hospital. This
treatment shall follow the current "Advanced Life Support Treatment Guidelines"
as specified by Orange County Emergency Medical Services.
b. "Basic Life Support" or "BLS" shall mean any basic life support evaluation and
treatment that is authorized by the State of California Department of Health
to be performed by emergency medical technicians and/or paramedics at the
scene of a medical emergency.
C. "Paramedic Subscription Program" or "Program" shall mean a voluntary
membership where members shall prepay at a fixed price, the uninsured portion
of emergency medical and emergency ambulance transportation services
provided by the Newport Beach Fire Department.
d. "Member" shall mean any person eligible to participate in the Paramedic
Subscription Program and for whom the Subscription Fee has been paid.
e. "Resident Member" shall mean any person eligible to participate in the
Paramedic Subscription Program because of their status as a guest, or visitor of
a resident in the City of Newport Beach and for whom the Subscription Fee has
been paid.
f. "Business Member" shall mean any person eligible to participate in the
Paramedic Subscription Program because they are the owner, operator,
employee, customer or volunteer of a business located in the City of Newport
Beach, and for whom the Subscription Fee has been paid.
g. "Subscription Fee" shall mean the annual charge, as established by resolution
of the City Council which, when paid, entitles eligible persons to participate in
the Paramedic Subscription Program and receive ALS, ALS Non-Transport,
BLS, BLS Non-Transport, and emergency ambulance transportation services, or
other benefits as approved by the City Council without payment of Normal
Charges.
h. "Non-member" shall mean any person who is not eligible to participate in the
Paramedic Subscription Program or any eligible person for whom the
Resolution No. 2015-77
Page 3 of 6
Subscription Fee has not been paid.
i. "Normal Charges" shall mean the fee to be paid by any Non-member who
receives ALS, ALS Non-Transport, BLS, BLS Non-Transport or emergency
ambulance transportation services initiated within the City of Newport Beach
and the fees to be paid by Business Members who receive ALS, ALS
Non-Transport, BLS, BLS Non-Transport, or emergency ambulance
transportation services initiated within the City of Newport Beach at a location
other than their workplace.
j. "Municipal Services Statement" shall mean the bill for water, sewer and other
municipal services issued by the City of Newport Beach on a bi-monthly basis.
k. "Business" shall mean any corporation, partnership, company, business,
association, organization or other entity with a workplace located in the City of
Newport Beach.
I. "Emergency ambulance transportation services" means transportation by an
ambulance of one or more patients resulting from a 911 call for emergency
medical services.
SECTION 3: Payment for Services. Non-members receiving ALS, ALS Non
Transport, BLS, BLS Non-Transport, or emergency ambulance transportation services within
the City of Newport Beach shall pay Normal Charges as specified in this Resolution. In no
event shall any person be denied ALS, ALS Non-Transport, BLS, BLS Non-Transport, or
emergency ambulance transportation services because of the inability or failure to pay
the Paramedic Subscription Fee or Normal Charges required by this Resolution. Members
receiving ALS, ALS Non-Transport, BLS, BLS Non-Transport or emergency ambulance
transportation services within the City of Newport Beach shall have their payment for
services adjusted as described under Member Benefits,
SECTION 4: Paramedic Subscription Program.
a. Eligibility. The Paramedic Subscription Program is open to residents and
business located within the City of Newport Beach and other persons deemed
eligible by regulation promulgated by the City Manager.
b. Enrollment. Any eligible person who enrolls shall become a member
immediately upon receipt of payment. As long as the member remains in good
payment standing, the member shall not be required to pay the Normal Charges
for emergency medical care and emergency ambulance transportation services.
C. Members Benefits. Member's Subscription Fee is considered as prepayment of
the uninsured portion of ALS, ALS Non-Transport, BLS, BLS Non-Transport,
and emergency ambulance transportation charges.
Resolution No. 2015-77
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Members, guests, customers, patrons, visitors, or others using the facilities of a
member's household or business shall not be charged directly for emergency
medical care and emergency ambulance transportation services if they agree to
assign any applicable benefits of any insurance policy to the City for services
provided.
In instances where a member also holds status as a payer for an insurance
plan, the benefits of the membership shall not extend to an obligation as an
insurance payer. The member shall still assign any applicable benefits of the
insurance policy to the City for services provided.
d. Paramedic Subscription Fees.
i. The annual Paramedic Subscription Fee for a Resident Member
shall be $60.00 per calendar year;
ii. The annual Paramedic Subscription Fee for a Business Member
shall be $60.00 per calendar year, provided, however, for
businesses with more than the Business Member and ten eligible
employees, the annual Subscription Fee shall be an additional
$25.00 for each additional group of up to ten employees, to a
maximum of$410.00.
e. Payment of Fees.
i. Paramedic Subscription Fees for Resident Members shall be paid
as follows:
(1) The payment of$60.00 upon enrollment or annual renewal;
(2). In the event of Municipal Services Statement is sent to the
dwelling unit of the Resident Member, the payment of that
portion of the annual Paramedic Subscription Fee on or
before the due date shown on the statement.
ii. Paramedic Subscription Fees for Business Members shall be paid
as follows:
(1) The payment of the required annual Paramedic Subscription
Fees upon enrollment or renewal;
(2) In the event a Municipal Services Statement is sent to the
business location, the payment of that portion of the annual
Paramedic Subscription Fee shown on the Municipal
Services Statement on or before the due date shown on the
statement.
Resolution No. 2015-77
Page 5 of 6
f. Termination of Membership. Membership may terminate in the event of any of
the following:
i. The City Council of the City of Newport Beach terminates or
modifies the Paramedic Subscription Program through rescission or
amendment of this Resolution, or a successor resolution, in which
event the City shall refund, on a prorate basis, the unused portion
of the Member's Paramedic Subscription Fee;
ii. Failure to pay the Paramedic Subscription Fee on or before the due
date shown on the Municipal Services Statement. Membership
may be reinstated if; at any time the Paramedic Subscription Fee
for that Member is paid.
SECTION 5: Normal Charges. The charges for rendering emergency medical services
to Non-members shall be as specified in the adopted Fee Schedule of the City of Newport
Beach.
SECTION 6: Implementation. The City Manager shall have the authority to promulgate
regulations necessary or appropriate to the administration of the Paramedic Subscription
Program, the provision of services described in this Resolution, and the billing or collection of
charges due for the provision of emergency medical services.
SECTION 7: If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this resolution is
for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity
or constitutionality of the remaining portions of this resolution. The City Council hereby
declares that it would have passed this resolution and each section, subsection, sentence
clause or phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that any one (1) or more sections, subsections,
sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 8: The recitals provided in this resolution are true and correct and are incorporated
into the substantive portion of this resolution.
SECTION 9: The City Council finds the adoption of this resolution is not subject to the
California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not
result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and
15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines,
California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical
change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
SECTION 10: This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the
City Council, and the City Clerk shall certify the vote adopting the resolution.
Resolution No. 2015-77
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ADOPTED this 22"d day of September, 2015.
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Edward D. Si ich /
Mayor
ATTEST:
Leilani I. Brown
City Clerk
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA }
COUNTY OF ORANGE
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH }
I, Leilani I. Brown, City Clerk of the City of Newport Beach, California, do hereby certify that the
whole number of members of the City Council is seven; that the foregoing resolution, being Resolution
No. 2015-77 was duly and regularly introduced before and adopted by the City Council of said City at a
regular meeting of said Council, duly and regularly held on the 22nd day of September, 2015, and that the
same was so passed and adopted by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Council Member Petros, Council Member Curry, Mayor Pro Tem Dixon,
Mayor Selich
NAYS: Council Member Peotter, Council Member Muldoon
ABSENT: Council Member Duffield
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the official seal of
said City this 23rd day of September, 2015.
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City Clerk `
Newport Beach, California
(Seal)
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