Committee advances ordinance to join Missouri GEMT MCO reimbursement program, authorizing $83,313.70 intergovernmental transfer

The finance and budget committee voted to advance an ordinance that would authorize the city to execute intergovernmental agreements and an intergovernmental transfer of $83,313.70 to participate in the Missouri Ground Emergency Medical Transport (GEMT) managed-care-organization uncompensated cost reimbursement program.

Assistant Fire Chief Dave York explained that the city has participated in the GEMT program since 2019 and that the expansion to include managed-care organizations allows additional federal Medicaid dollars to be recovered to offset ambulance-service shortfalls. York said the $83,313.70 intergovernmental transfer is the city's required contribution to draw down a larger federal balance and that staff estimated the city could receive roughly $324,000 back for the six-month period modeled.

York provided sample reimbursement figures, saying Medicaid typically reimburses around $335 for a basic life-support (BLS) transport while the resident BLS billing rate is $910, noting that reimbursements do not cover full billed amounts. Committee members asked clarifying questions about the net reimbursement percentages and York said the city's historic ambulance-reimbursement revenue has been in the mid-seventies percent range relative to billed amounts.

The committee moved and seconded the recommendation and voted unanimously to advance the ordinance to the full council for approval.