The starting cost of an ambulance ride in the city of Spokane will increase 28% under a new one-year agreement approved on Thursday.
Though they bemoaned the sizable rate hike and timing of the proposal, members of the council reluctantly signed off on a new one-year contract with the city’s ambulance provider, American Medical Response.
Although the Spokane Fire Department responds to medical calls, the city relies on AMR to provide emergency medical transportation.
An ambulance ride in the city of Spokane currently starts at a base rate of $757, for either basic life support or advanced life support service. AMR charges a per-mile rate of $22.88 on top of that base rate.
Under the five-year contract proposed by the city administration earlier this month, AMR would raise its rates to a base of $975, an increase of about 28%. Initially, AMR had requested that the city raise its base rates to $1,207.