People who are transported by city of Bend paramedics may see their bills increase by hundreds of dollars over the next three years.
Right now, patients transported by city ambulances pay a flat fee of $928. But by 2019, people who live in the city could see their bills go up by $369, while people who live outside the city limits or in an area served by Bend’s rural fire district, could see a $1,666 increase.
The city council must still approve the increases and that is expected in June.
Bend hasn’t raised ambulance fees in 12 years, but the city has grown by more than 15,000 residents in that time, said Steve O’Malley, who works as the deputy chief for EMS services at the Bend Fire Department. Several other Oregon cities, including Redmond, La Pine and Eugene, currently charge about $1,800, about twice as much as the fee in Bend.