The possibility of charging for some additional fire department calls was briefly discussed during the Argos Town Council meeting last Wednesday.
Currently, the town only bills for structure fires. However, Clerk-Treasurer Lisa Mullaney explained that the problem is that even when someone is billed, they don’t always follow through with a payment.
Since officials are now considering billing for HAZMAT calls and potentially others, Mullaney suggested that they utilize the same company they use for EMS billing.
She explained that the services provided by AccuMed have been beneficial for the town, “Since we started using AccuMed for our EMS billing, we have considerably increased the amount of money that the EMS is taking in because they’re professionals.”
Mullaney explained, “They have a way of tracking people and filing the claims that we just have not had in the past.”
Mullaney said that AccuMed has a division dedicated to fire calls so the company is a realistic option for expanding on the calls billed for the town’s fire department.
No official actions were taken during Wednesday’s session but members asked Mullaney invite a representative from AccuMed to a future town council meeting.
She explained that before making any decisions members said they would like to learn more about the cost for the additional services and what they would be able to bill for. Since Argos has a volunteer fire department, there may be some restrictions.
Mullaney said she would coordinate with AccuMed representatives to arrange for a presentation.
