The Prairie North Regional Health Authority Board approved an increase in ambulance fees, consistent with the rate hikes announced by the provincial government, at a Dec. 15 meeting in Maidstone.
The ambulance pick-up fee in Prairie North Health Region will rise by $25. The rate charged per kilometre will increase by 10 cents. PNHR is also seeking a $20 per hour increase in the patient waiting time rate to bring it to the same level charged by other Saskatchewan health regions, according to a press release.
The increases mean that the basic pick-up rate for all ambulance services in Prairie North - except those of WPD Ambulance in North Battleford - will rise to $245 per call, from a current level of $220. All of these services except WPD provide a basic life support (BLS) level of ambulance care. WPD provides an advanced life support (ALS) level of care with paramedic service and currently charges a pick-up fee of $300 per call. The rate will rise to $325 per call - the same as that permitted for all ALS/paramedic ambulance services in Saskatchewan. The rate charged per kilometre is the same for all ambulance services.
PNHR's patient waiting time fee is currently $80 per hour. The rate in six other health regions is $100 per hour. Prairie North wishes to move to the higher rate to be on par with these regions and to better reflect actual costs, the release states.
The health region must now notify the Minister of Health of the board's decision and motion to revise PNHR's ambulance rates. The new rates come into effect 30 days after the minister receives the notification.
Prairie North owns and operates ambulance services in Cut Knife, Maidstone, Meadow Lake and Neilburg. PNHR contracts with private emergency medical service (EMS) providers in Lloydminster, North Battleford and St. Walburg. Onion Lake EMS is operated by Onion Lake Developments Ltd.
