The San Diego City Council on Tuesday approved phasing in a 17% increase to the cost of ambulance services over the next three years, starting July 1.
The action is possible because the city began using an “alliance model” for emergency ground ambulance services in Fiscal Year 2024, which allows the city to charge and collect fees to recoup some costs.
The alliance model is a public-private partnership in which a local public agency contracts with private ambulance companies to provide emergency ambulance services.
Tuesday’s action will increase what the city charges private insurers for emergency services by 7% for Fiscal Year 2026, which begins July 1.
Two more increases, 5% each, will follow in July 2026 and July 2027. The increases will not impact Medi-Cal or Medicare fees.
According to a city document, in the next fiscal year revenue from patient charges in the Emergency Medical Transport Program Fund is estimated to be $131.8 million, assuming a 33% collection rate.
The estimated cost of EMS services in the coming fiscal year is $391.9 million.
The current fee for an ALS Emergency Transport Level 2 – the top level of care with “transportation by ground ambulance vehicle and the provision of medically necessary supplies and services” – is $3,151.32.
That number will increase to $3,371.91 in July, then to $3,540.31 the following year, and finally to $3,717.53 in 2027.
A review of ambulance charges across the county was conducted in 2024. At that time, San Diego’s patient charges were below the countywide average of $3,283 per transport, with several jurisdictions exceeding $4,000, according to the city.
By 2028, due to the increases, San Diego’s charges will be in line with the county average.
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