There are dozens of individual requirements listed in the proposed ordinance, but, several deserve special mention.
1. The private company must participate in the Fire Departments Continuous Quality Improvement program when requested.
2. The Fire Chief may ride on any ambulance at any time for evaluating medical and/or driving performance.
3. No diesel powered ambulance may be used in excess of 200,000 miles.
4. No gas powered ambulance may be used in excess of 125,000 miles.
5. The vehicle chassis may not exceed 7 years from the date of manufacture.
6. The private company must have a preventative maintenance program and maintain vehicle service records acceptable to the city and reported quarterly to the Fire Chief.
7. Ambulances may be inspected at any hour and location by the city. All ambulances must pass inspection and display a sticker so certifying.
8. Providers may not charge any patient or any other payer less than the Medicare allowable rate.
These and other provisions seem particularly egregious and burdensome to private businesses without a demonstrable payoff for the citizens of Georgetown. No data has been presented identifying the scope of problems that this ordinance is designed to correct. Such a franchise requirement currently does not exist in Georgetown or Williamson County to this writers knowledge. It appears that this proposed ordinance is a solution looking for a problem!
The City Council should be minimizing regulations and ordinances that impose burdens on legitimate business that do not materially increase public safety.
This ordinance is clearly not required unless new data is forthcoming that justifies the increased bureaucratic burden.
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