Ambulance Service Increases Taxes

Edmonson Voice Staff

The Edmonson County Fiscal Court heard a report from Ambulance Service Director Keith Sanders regarding an increase in ambulance service taxes at a rate of just over 1%. Director Sanders said the increase is due to a decrease in revenue while the expenses keep rising. He reported that for the past three years, the ambulance service has seen a consistent deficit which has been offset through the service's reserve funds. This deficit has not allowed the ambulance service to properly maintain and update their equipment. "We're doing the best we can with what we've got and we'll continue to do that," he said. 

He then explained how the costs work along with the current revenue with average ambulance runs, which normally cost $800-$900. Medicare, which is federally funded, pays for about 50%, Medicaid, funded by the state, covers 19%. The remaining 31% is left up to the ambulance service and Sanders said the current revenue, generated by taxes, is not enough to cover those costs. He then discussed how Medicare says that Edmonson County is considered part of Bowling Green, which classifies our area as "urban," excluding the county from available rural grants, which would help tremendously. He said since 2010, this classification has cost the ambulance service over $114,000. "We're not Louisville, but because of Federal Law, we're classified just like them, which makes no sense to me, but that's the way it is," he said. He also added that the increased tax rates would likely be easy on taxpayers' wallets, but would hopefully meet the current needs of the ambulance service.

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