From left Lakewood Trustee John Shedd, Trustee Ben Troche, Mayor Randy Holcomb, and Trustee Ellen Barnes discuss updated rates for Emergency Medical Services. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

LAKEWOOD – To keep current with emergency medical services billing, Lakewood Trustees Monday approved updated rates.

Since August 2022, Professional Ambulance Billing, of Williamsville, has been Lakewood’s EMS billing company. PAB’s contract runs to Dec. 31.

During the passage of the 2022 New York State budget, a change was made that allows fire departments to recover the costs associated with providing emergency medical services and ambulance transportation. The Chautauqua County Legislature also approved a measure that any remaining fire department or ambulance service that wants the county to take over emergency medical service billing can do so without further approval from elected officials. The Lakewood Fire Department, since December 2022, has continued its compliance with the EMS law. In June 2022, the fire department endorsed the village board to bill for EMS.

Trustee Ellen Barnes explained when Lakewood EMS goes on a call, EMS technicians fill out paperwork, and it is submitted to PAB which then submits the paperwork to respective insurance companies. The money then comes back to the village.

For Lakewood and Busti residents, Trustee Ben Troche said, their medical insurance co-payments are waived.

Troche said that EMS billing is a not a revenue generator for the village.

“It’s cost recovery,” Troche noted. “It doesn’t cover even half of the expenses associated with providing the service. Furthermore, if Chautauqua County assists us, or ALSTAR (EMS), another agency, they get a percentage of our cost recovery.”

Troche said the billing information also can be found at lakewoodny.com.

Here are the new rates:

Basic life support E/NE is updated to $1,300 from $1,100; advanced life support E/NE is updated to $1,600 from $1,300; advanced life support-2 is updated to $1,900 from $1,700; mileage is updated to $42 per mile from $35 per mile; treat/release-ALS is unchanged at $500; treat/release-BLS is updated to $400 from $450; and paramedic intercept is updated to $985 from $900.

The board also approved the LVFD to apply for a $20,000 grant with the Chautauqua County Community Foundation to help defray the cost of a new Hurst Tool.