WV./ Clay County ambulance service in fiscal trouble.

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Clay County ambulance service in fiscal trouble

Money runs out Jan. 15; cuts needed

Thursday December 20, 2001

By Finn

Putnam County Reporter

CLAY - Unless severe cuts are made, Clay County's ambulance service will

run out of money within four weeks, a state expert told Clay County

commissioners Wednesday.

" People don't want to pay for the ambulance service, so the ambulance

service might not run. That's what we're down to, " said Dennis Nurkiewicz, head

of the WV EMS Technical Support Network.

The ambulance service should close two satellite stations in Big Otter and

Lizemores, he said, or turn them over to an all-volunteer force. He also told

commissioners they had to cut the ambulance budget by more than half for the

next month, something that existing workers said would be nearly impossible to

do.

If Clay County's ambulance service were to shut down, the state could ask

another service to come into the county, until the ambulance authority gets its

fiscal house in order, he said.

Commissioners said they would decide by Jan. 2 whether the ambulance

authority can afford to keep going. The " drop-dead " date when service could stop

is Jan. 15, Nurkiewicz said.

" We need to know in advance, so we don't interrupt ambulance service for

the population, " he said.

An ambulance station typically costs $250,000 to run in West Virginia, he

said. Clay County is trying to run three stations on a budget of less than

$500,000.

In addition, the ambulance service has been taking patients to doctor's

appointments and nursing homes. Some of those riders don't pay their ambulance

bills. Commissioner Jimmy Sams said that would have to stop.

" We don't need to break this emergency service for people who just need a

ride to the doctor, " Sams said.

But ambulance director Cookie said some patients have no other way

to get medical care. She told a story about a man who lies in a fetal position

with feeding tubes and a catheter, whose wife can't even turn him over in bed by

herself.

" She can't take him to the doctor by herself, " said. But Medicaid

and Medicare won't reimburse the ambulance service for that run, she said.

Clay County also has a unique system to help fund the ambulance service.

Residents can choose to pay a voluntary $25 yearly fee. If they do, then they

are not personally charged for any ambulance runs they might take that year. If

they have insurance, then the insurance company is charged.

Several employees blamed the voluntary fee system for cheating the service

out of money.

This year's legislative budget digest gave the service $20,000, but that

money still hasn't arrived, said. The money wasn't originally for

operating expenses, but the ambulance authority asked to use it for other

purposes.

The ambulance authority also is dealing with complaints about the quality

of care. Nurkiewicz said the complaints could lead to requirements for more

staff training or restrictions on the type of care employees could give.

He praised employees for working for little pay under tough conditions.

Some county emergency workers earn little more than minimum wage.

" We're paying someone who might have to stick a needle in your heart the

same as someone at Mc's, " he said.

To contact staff writer Finn, use e-mail or call 357-4323.

Write a letter to the editor.

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