Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Safety to modify the term of the existing contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc. for EMS billing, collection, and reporting services. Funding for this contract was established via Ordinance 0118-2023 passed February 6, 2023, but did not clarify the extension of the term of the contract; the current contract expires March 31, 2023 ~ this modification will extend the term until March 31, 2024. The City entered into a contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc. via ordinance 3233-2018 passed December 6, 2018, for EMS billing, collection, patient care reporting, hardware devices, accompanying extra equipment, third party auditing, and training via Ordinance #1184-02, passed July 22, 2002. Public Safety contracts the services of Change Healthcare for the billing, collection, and reporting of those who are transported to hospitals by EMS personnel for emergency medical care. These billing, collection, and reporting services have generated a multitude of patient care information used by the Fire Division to better prepare EMS response protocols and, in turn, respond to residents in a more effective manner. The division also generates reports for various fire organizations that are catalogued nationwide. Revenue generated since inception of the program amounted to over $270 million at the end of December 2022 and is deposited in the city's General Fund.
Contract Compliance: Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc. FID 23-2939847 / vendor #025233
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is requested so that EMS billing, collection, and reporting services can continue without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT: This legislation seeks to modify the term of the current contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc. for an additional year from April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024, for billing and collection services. There is not fiscal impact associated with this ordinance.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Safety to modify the term of the existing contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc. for an additional year from April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024, for EMS billing, collection, and reporting services for the Division of Fire; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00) (REPEALED BY ORD. 1163-2023 PASSED 5/15/2023) BA
Body
WHEREAS, the City contracts for EMS billing, collection, and reporting services, as initiated via Ordinance #1184-02, passed July 22, 2002; and,
WHEREAS, the City entered into a contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc. via Ordinance 3233-2018 passed December 6, 2018, to continue an agreement to provide EMS billing services; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of Public Safety, on behalf of the Division of Fire, to modify the term of the existing contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc. for an additional year from April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Division of Fire, Department of Public Safety, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Public Safety to modify the term of the existing contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc., so that EMS billing, collection, and reporting services can continue without interruption for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; now, therefore
; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Safety is hereby authorized to modify the term of the existing contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc. for an additional year from April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024, for the Division of Fire's EMS billing, collection, and reporting services originally initiated via Ordinance 3233-2018, passed December 6, 2018.
SECTION 2. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.