Bradley County authorizes mayor to sign EMS billing agreement with Bradley Medical Center

The Bradley County Commission on Jan. 5 unanimously authorized the county mayor to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between Bradley County EMS and Bradley Medical Center, LLC that will let EMS invoice the hospital for ambulance transports of self-pay patients at the Medicare allowable rate.

Commissioner Milan M. Blake told the commission the Finance Committee reviewed the MOU and recommended the county move forward. "I commend Director Lewis and the Mayor for successfully negotiating this agreement," Blake said.

Key terms: The MOU, recorded as an attachment to the meeting record, says Bradley Medical Center will approve requested self-funded transfers and pay EMS the Medicare allowable rate for each transport. EMS will invoice BMC monthly with itemized entries (date of service, patient identifier, level of care, origin and destination) and BMC will remit payment within 30 days. The MOU has a one-year term, permits 30-day termination for convenience, and allows immediate termination for material breaches subject to cure periods.

Why it matters: County officials said the agreement provides a guaranteed revenue stream to Bradley County EMS for transports that historically went unpaid. The commission moved to authorize Mayor D. Gary Davis to sign the document and approved the authorization 13–0.

What happens next: The mayor may sign the agreement consistent with the commission's authorization; the county's EMS and Bradley Medical Center will implement the invoicing and payment process described in the MOU.