'My biggest belief is what may be causing this problem is that it's exclusive,' Perez said. 'Maybe someone can do it without the city having to subsidize the service.'Īmid discussion, Perez questioned STEC's contract, whose exclusivity clause is backed by a city ordinance granting police the power to warn or cite outside ambulance companies entering the city limits.Īcross the state, the cities of Arlington, Waco and Wichita Falls along with the counties of Wichita Falls and Rockwell offer their EMS services exclusive contracts, officials said. 'We can always do the RFQs to see who else could do the service,' he said.

In response, Commissioner Frank Morales suggested requesting proposals from ambulance companies. 'The collection rate is always better on the non-emergency side.' 'The government no longer needs to pay EMS subsidies because the losses on the 911 side were made up by the more lucrative non-emergency side,' Aston told commissioners. Then the company began charging its patients, instead. More than 10 years ago, STEC was charging the city about $395,000 to help fund its emergency ambulance runs, he said.

Whether it's adding one of two (outside ambulance companies), whatever it is, that's what I want.'ĭuring discussion, Bill Aston, STEC's executive director, warned the company might consider charging the city to help fund its emergency medical services if commissioners allow outside companies to eat into revenue generated through its non-emergency transports. 'I don't know if what's going on right now is working. 'I want change,' Commissioner Rene Perez said during Thursday's three-hour workshop.

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