Ambulance services covering Westmoreland County are hoping to receive more support from the communities they serve, particularly as that number of communities has grown in recent months.
“Bell Township, Avonmore, parts of Loyalhanna Township and Saltsburg are now divided up between us, Mutual Aid EMS and the Oklahoma ambulance service,” said Matt Stromberg, spokesman for Murrysville Medic One.
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Mutual Aid, Murrysville Medic One and Citizens Ambulance Service stepped in during December when Saltsburg-based LifeStat ambulance service suddenly closed. In addition, the all-volunteer Kecksburg Rescue Ambulance Service closed its doors at the end of last year, with its service area split between Mutual Aid and Mt. Pleasant-based Medic 10.
Medic One is about to undertake a subscription drive in its coverage area.
“We need folks in the community to step up, especially when you look at the agencies that have closed,” Stromberg said. “People have got to become aware that we’re not taxpayer-funded.”
Municipalities serviced by Medic One do make donations, however Stromberg said that provides only 4% of the ambulance service’s budget.
In exchange for a Medic One subscription, which is $55 for a senior or senior couple and $75 for a family or household, members have 50% of their insurance co-pay forgiven.
“The other trade-off is, we can be competitive with our wages, so that we can keep staff and have modern and up-to-date equipment,” Stromberg said.
At Mutual Aid, spokesman Shawn Penzera said they keep their membership drives running year-round, sending annual reminders when residents’ membership is coming due.
“We only have one municipality that actually gives us money, which is Jeannette,” Penzera said. “Other communities have started donating to help us buy equipment if we’re talking about a couple thousand dollars.”
The majority of Mutual Aid’s funding comes through collecting insurance reimbursements, similar to Medic One — and that is not always easy to do.
Ambulance service officials say the biggest culprit crushing their business model is bottom-barrel insurance reimbursements. Providers get paid 30% to 60% of what they spend to care for patients from insurance companies. And it is not a new problem.
Mutual Aid has between 225 and 250 employees, including part-time and summer help from college students. Its memberships are $50 for an individual, $70 for a family and $200 for a business.
Penzera said so far, their new territory from Lifestat’s closure is not putting a strain on providing services.
“We may do one call per day, and we’ve averaged about five per week so far,” he said. “Our staffing is very adequate at this point.”
Medic One employs around 80 people, Stromberg said.
“Us and Mutual Aid are two of the largest ones in the area,” he said. “We’re able to keep our heads above water, but we need help from the public in order to keep doing it.”