In either case, it appears that as long as the rotterdamians keep on top of the legalities, rems is and will be S.O.L. no matter how this vote turns out. Although it is quite obvious that this vote shouldn't even be taking place. They (rems) should have left things as they were IF they were smart.
Although I hear that the taxing district is losing ground any way. Especially from some rotterdam business folks. They do not want another tax.
Now to add to the mix.........rumor has it that GP and FS represent rems....correct? And GP is supposedly a CPA......correct? Sowho has the most to gain here? And who has the expertise to 'move' numbers around?..... No finger pointing here....just sayin' and just askin'.
GP negotiated IRS payment arrangements...FS is Rems' attorney of record.
FDG told me that GP would not be assigned to any audit of REMS.
I was in in Rotterdam today and saw the mix of signage on the lawns. Does Joe Citizen understand the Mohawk Ambulance Service business model. Hard billing versus soft billing. When MAS transports a tax payer that doesn't have health insurance, that tax payer will receive a bill for this service. When they don't have the ...ability to pay it, or have failed to make a payment arrangement, that person will be taken to collections. A dime per every $1,000.00 assessed. What's the average home assessment in Rotterdam, $150,00.00? The bill per year would be $15.00. For my service located in Columbia County, uninsured patients are billed 638.50 for a Basic Life Support call and 7.50 per loaded mile. We have different rates for Medicare patients that are determined by CMS, but if you are not Medicare eligible, you will not be charged that rate. And of course, different rates for when the Paramedic is treating the patient. Common Sense. Good luck! See More
the taxing district STARTS OFF at $0.10 per $1000.00.....then 5 years down the road or 10 years down the road it just creeps and creeps and creeps up.....who are they kidding.....if the average Joe Taxpayer hasn't learned that yet, then yes they deserve what they get and leave behind.....cheap sh*t and pillow fluffing......REMS does NOTHING for infrastructure and capital improvement,,,,it's a scare tactic, pillow fluffer and podium puck......I have absolutely NOTHING against the work they do....but they can do it privately without subsidies---it's the nature of the business/beast......
gambling for a ride to the hospital is just as bad as wanting to bailout a seriously mismanaged Billion dollar year betting parlor...
think future...the horizon
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
I'm in agreement with BT on that one Michael. Come out of the groundhog hole! I have no intention of ever running again either, but I'm not hiding from the issues as a taxpayer. This forum has brought more to light on the REMS issue than any news media have ever done.
Keep on chattering! I wish more people would read and participate on this forum. You don't have to be in agreement on everything. That's what makes it more interesting and problem-solving.
I did finally get my letter from the town.
I don't believe we are ready for a vote on this issue. It should be tabled to resolve the fairness in the actual physical voting and really make sure residents understand the vote.
Article: AMBULANCES TAKEN FOR A RIDE; 'FREQUENT FLYERS' CALL 911 AT TAXPAYERS' EXPENSE WHEN THEY REALLY JUST NEED A TAXI.(News) Article from:The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY) Article date:February 7, 2010 CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of The Herald Co. by the Gale Group, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights or concerns about this content should be directed to Customer Support. (Hide copyright information)
Byline: Debra J. Groom Staff writer
A volunteer ambulance corps in DeWitt transported one man to Syracuse hospitals 140 times in 2009. On more than one occasion, he called the ambulance three times in a single day. Nearly every time, he was checked out by doctors and told to go home because no treatment was needed.
The man is an example of what ambulance crews throughout Central New York call a "frequent flyer." They are people who again and again call for an ambulance when, most of the time, they don't need one.
Who ends up paying? You. Central New Yorkers pay through taxes, higher insurance premiums and higher ambulance charges.
The man transported repeatedly in 2009 by the East Area Volunteer Emergency Services cost taxpayers $25,760 through Medicaid. And EAVES, which covers the East Syracuse fire district, estimates it cost the ambulance corps more than $37,000. That's the difference between the Medicaid reimbursement and what it actually cost to transport the man.
The problem with frequent flyers isn't only in Central New York. James Finger, president of the American Ambulance Association, says it is a problem throughout the state and the country, taxing ambulance corps' personnel and finances. This is taxpayers' money, Reisner said. And it is much less than the $400 to $600 it costs the ambulance squad to provide the service. The same is true for Medicare, which reimburses about 50 percent of the ambulance cost, Finger said.
Onondaga County paid $1,460,860 in 2009 in Medicaid-reimbursed ambulance transportation, said David Sutkowy of the county's Department of Social Services. He said there is no way to find out how much of this money was paid for unneeded or non-emergency ambulance rides. Sutkowy said the local Department of Social Services has "no role in ambulance transportation" and therefore cannot deny payment of an ambulance claim.
And if these non-emergency patients also are covered by Medicaid, the hospital ERs lose money, because the government reimburses the ER only $150 for each Medicaid patient, compared to the $400 it costs to care for that patient.
There also are people who have little or no insurance and no family doctor, and who consider the emergency room their primary care physician. They call the ambulance to get there.
"We have people with colds and sore throats who use the ambulance as transportation to get their medical needs met," said Zach Menter, of Menter Ambulance in Fulton. He said this not only costs the ambulance service money but "it slows up the process of how fast care is given in the ER."
And finally, Stevenson said there are those with good insurance who use the ambulance, the insurance company is billed and the company sends a check to the person to pay the ambulance. This occurs when the ambulance service isn't a part of the insurance company's network. But instead of paying the bill, the person pockets the money and leaves the ambulance service high and dry.
"On average, we lose $3,000 to $5,000 a month from people who keep the payment checks instead of sending it to us," said Stevenson, of EAVES. "We have about 10 to 12 people who do this a couple times during the year."
Stevenson said EAVES takes these people to collection agencies, but they still do not receive all the money to which they are entitled. He did say, though, that taking people to collections has reduced the number doing this on a regular basis. this article was culled because of its length, full version can be accessed from the link in the begiinning
I'm in agreement with BT on that one Michael. Come out of the groundhog hole! I have no intention of ever running again either, but I'm not hiding from the issues as a taxpayer. This forum has brought more to light on the REMS issue than any news media have ever done.
Keep on chattering! I wish more people would read and participate on this forum. You don't have to be in agreement on everything. That's what makes it more interesting and problem-solving.
I did finally get my letter from the town.
I don't believe we are ready for a vote on this issue. It should be tabled to resolve the fairness in the actual physical voting and really make sure residents understand the vote.
First.......MO garnered some impressionable votes from the rotterdam electorate. Not to mention he won the rotterdam rep primary. Too bad he won't step out again..........he'd probably win. If he didn't, he would have a continued effort in changing the mind set on elections which is clearly so badly needed in all of schenectady county. THERE ARE OTHER CHOICES.
Second........although I don't always agree with everything everyone posts here. And although some postings are just rhetoric, there are issues that I may disagree with, but it makes me 'investigate' further to find the true facts.
Third.........I always thought that the vote should be canceled. I have since changed my mind. Although the timing and the issue of absentee ballots and one polling place is an issue, I say let rotterdamians vote once and for all. Unfortunately it will be a lose/lose end result for rems. Legally it must go out for bid if this taxing district passes, and we know what the outcome of that will be.
REMS support should have always stayed in the general fund. The last and the present rotterdam administration screwed that one up royally. That is what mertzie suggested years ago, but no one agreed. Oh well that is rotterdam water over the rotterdam's dam............moving on...........
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
No one can move numbers around. The taxing district takes care of ambulances and equipment only. The oversight is with the State Comptroller as well as the town comptroller along with a board of directors that will be elected by the TAXPAYERS.
I am assuming that you are the same TDonovan who co-wrote the exceptionally good letter to the editor that was printed in the Daily Gazette today. I hope that we can see more of this bipartisan spirit as we work together to continue to make Rotterdam a great place to live.
I don't believe that we have ever met in person -- if we do -- I would like to speak with you about a matter.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
Bipartisan agreement on need for REMS tax district
It is unusual, especially in Rotterdam, for Democrats and Republicans to agree on anything. However, when it comes to the proposed ambulance district, we agree wholeheartedly.
We acknowledge that the circumstances surrounding this vote — particularly the decision to not have absentee ballots and the failure to provide sufficient notice to residents, among other things — are unfortunate. Ultimately, however, we believe the public welfare will be best served if the public votes yes on the district.
Despite what many have heard, the public would have ultimate authority over the district in several ways. First, the unpaid commissioners of the district would be elected by the public.
Second, the district’s budget process includes public hearings. Third, spending money for high-cost items must be approved by the public via referendum.
The service provided by Rotterdam EMS far exceeds the obvious. REMS is a community-based emergency medical service provider. This means REMS provides many services for which it cannot bill. These services include lifting elderly family members who have fallen though are not in need of medical transport, checking blood pressures, assisting individuals with home medical equipment, providing standby coverage for community events, and doing public outreach for schools and various other community organizations.
As chairs of the town’s Democratic and Republican Committee, respectively, we encourage you to vote yes Dec. 14.
Kudos to BOTH Ms. Donovan and Mr. Jasenski ---- great letter to the editor -- you are both great public servants.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
I can see how the reps don't get the 'real conservative' support or vote. Supporting an unnecessary tax is irresponsible.
Does Ms. Donovan realize that this is not about 'saving rems'? In fact this has absolutely NOTHING to do about rems at all!! This is about imposing and forming an unnecessary tax! The article was misleading to the electorate in rotterdam. This letter just may come back to bite the rotterdam reps in the a$$ yet again!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I can see how the reps don't get the 'real conservative' support or vote. Supporting an unnecessary tax is irresponsible.
Does Ms. Donovan realize that this is not about 'saving rems'? In fact this has absolutely NOTHING to do about rems at all!! This is about imposing and forming an unnecessary tax! The article was misleading to the electorate in rotterdam. This letter just may come back to bite the rotterdam reps in the a$$ yet again!
And again, as we were discussing on another thread, Donovan Rep. Chair in favor of ambulance district, Brian fundamentally opposed. Any leverage being applied here?
The service provided by Rotterdam EMS far exceeds the obvious. REMS is a community-based emergency medical service provider. This means REMS provides many services for which it cannot bill. These services include lifting elderly family members who have fallen though are not in need of medical transport, checking blood pressures, assisting individuals with home medical equipment, providing standby coverage for community events, and doing public outreach for schools and various other community organizations.
So we're paying for orderlies? REMS aren't going to respond to an emergency call because they're checking old man Bob’s oxygen tanks? This is turning into a vote for some kind of hybrid EMS/Nursing Care not-for-profit tax district.
Can just anybody assist with home medical equipment? Is there any training required? This is NY, I would imagine there is some kind of licensing required to work with medical equipment.
Can't a police officer, one of our many volunteer fire fighters, or a paramedic help lift an elderly family member that needs help getting up?
Looks like they are done making the logical argument for a taxing district, they are back to scaring the elderly.
And again, as we were discussing on another thread, Donovan Rep. Chair in favor of ambulance district, Brian fundamentally opposed. Any leverage being applied here?
Nahhhh...Ya think. Go along to get along. Republicans are back to supporting MORE taxation.
New leadership - same person driving the party message...Gerard.
As a lifelong Republican I could never vote for any Republican that keeps trying to raise taxes when they are not needed. We don't have any representation in government and as Bumble says they're all alike, tax and spend Dems or tax and spend Reps. No wonder the NNTP party has so many supporters.
Logged
