Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Safety to modify the existing contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc. for EMS billing, collection, and reporting services. 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, training, and two onsite dedicated personnel as needed for the Division of Fire's Third Party EMS Reimbursement Program, originally initiated 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 citizens 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 $225 million at the end of December 2019 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 current contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc. for billing and collection services and authorize the expenditure of $650,000.00 for billing services, which is budgeted in the Division of Fire's 2020 General Fund operating budget. Therefore, this ordinance is contingent upon passage of the 2020 General Fund Budget.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Safety to modify the existing contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc. for EMS billing, collection, and reporting services for the Division of Fire; to authorize the expenditure of $650,000.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($650,000.00)
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, 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 existing contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc., so that EMS billing, collection, and reporting services can continue without interruption, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; 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 existing contract with Change Healthcare Practice Management Solutions, Inc. 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 the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $650,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized from the General Fund 1000-100010, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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.