Supervisors Approve New Ambulance Collections Service Contract

NEWTOWN SQUARE–Newtown Township Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the authorization to execute a ambulance collections service contract with Ambulance Reimbursement Systems, Inc. (ARS) on Monday night.

According to Township Manager Mike Trio, the township received three bids which included ARS, Advanced Management Services, and Speclin Emergency Services Billing. 

Not only did ARS have the lowest rate (6 percent), but the Newtown Square Fire Co. also recommended ARS as their ambulance collections company, according to Trio. The contract will be for a one-year term. 

The township's rate with current ambulance collections company, Clayburn Medical Billing, is 7.5 percent, according to Trio. A nine-day notice needs to be given to Clayburn in order to get out of the current contract.

Nathan Glazer, a resident on Cayley Road, suggested that the Board look at fixed-fee contracts, considering the rates continually rise each year.

"We're going from 7.5 percent to 6 percent so we're already saving money," responded Supervisor John Nawn. "We've got a contract that we've already negotiated that we're already going to save the township some money. We're going to have some savings issued. So, now, we have the opportunity–after we initiate this contract with the new people at the lower rate, rather than staying with Clayburn for now–then we can investigate whether there's a better way to do it. But we've already saved for this year than what we paid last year."

Lambert suggested Glazer work with Trio to investigate fixed-fee contracts and other opportunities for the following year.

A motion was made by Supervisors Chairman Joseph Catania to enter into a contract with ARS and to pursue other opportunities the following year, as Glazer mentioned to the Board. The motion was seconded by Nawn and carried unanimously 4-0. Supervisor George Wood was absent from the meeting.