Coshocton EMS needs more money, but fears asking taxpayers
COSHOCTON − Coshocton County Emergency Medical Services needs more funding, but officials are hesitant to ask residents for more money.
Executive Director Todd Shroyer and Assistant Chief of Administration Kayla Chapman recently met with Coshocton County Commissioners to discuss placing a 1-mill property tax levy renewal on the fall general election ballot. It was first passed in 2018 and generates about $600,000 annually. A separate levy last passed in 2021.
Discussed was possibly going for an additional or a replacement, but Shroyer felt passing such would be tough at this time. It's estimated the department will be short about $700,000 in 2024, which the projected carryover balance should cover. However, they would only have about $50,000 carrying over into 2025.
"We're extremely fortunate to have what we have. You don't have to drive more than a half hour to 45 minutes in any direction to find someone that would love to have what we have," Shroyer said of the services they provide. "We have a really, really good system and a really affective system."
Shroyer said personnel costs have continued to go up while revenue has remained flat. Personnel costs are just under $4 million annually while tax revenue is around $2.7 million and billing revenue is about $1.3 million.
Shroyer knows people will see the new EMS station being built on Walnut Street and think they're doing fine, but that's being funding through grants and bonds that can only be used for capital projects, not for operations.
EMS is at full staffing for the first time in three years with 31 full-time employees and applications in the que. Maximum pay for an EMT is $21,000 a year. Shroyer said there are private ambulance companies in the area that pay $10 to $15 more an hour. However, they try to at least be competitive with wage and offer a good working environment for a challenging field.
"We're not in any way, shape or form paying extravagant wages, but we're paying a competitive wage and trying to treat people right. We're extremely fortunate," Shroyer said. "But, unfortunately, those people cost money and we're to the point now where we're not keeping up."
Shroyer said they're looking to make as many minor cuts as they can, but nickel and dime tweaks are only going to get them so far.
Shroyer said they are examining raising billing rates and trying to bill for some services they don't now, like lift assists, but most insurances, especially Medicaid, will only pay so much no matter how much you bill. The state is looking to raise Medicaid reimbursement from $150 to $170, but it still costs more than $700 every time the ambulance goes out the door, Shroyer said.
"It's not like the store raises milk to $3.50 a gallon and you have to pay $3.50 a gallon. We raise milk to $3.50 and the State of Ohio, who is flush with cash but wants to keep pushing everything back to the local level, says 'we'll pay you a $1.50 and you'll like it,'" he said.
Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst.
This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Coshocton EMS needs more money, but fears asking taxpayers
