DATE:
May 05, 2026 and May 19, 2026
FP01
TO:
Board of Directors, San Diego County Fire Protection District
SUBJECT
Title
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM:
SECOND CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE:
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE XX OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE ORDINANCE CODE, RELATING TO SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT GROUND AMBULANCE SERVICE AREA CHARGES AND FEES (05/05/26 - FIRST READING; 05/19/26 - SECOND READING UNLESS ORDINANCE IS MODIFIED ON SECOND READING) (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
On May 5, 2026 (FP01), the Board of Directors took action to further consider and adopt the Ordinance on May 19, 2026.
On February 27, 2024 (FP01), the San Diego County Fire Protection District (SDCFPD) Board of Directors approved the ambulance transportation fee increase to maintain current services within the SDCFPD Ground Ambulance Service Area (ASA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 25-26. The ASA includes the entirety of the SDCFPD as well as the Deer Springs, Valley Center, Alpine, and a portion of the San Miguel Fire Protection Districts. Ambulance operating areas have historically relied upon insurance revenue from transports to hospitals to recover costs. However, rural communities with large geographic areas and small population centers are more costly to serve and generally are overrepresented by public insurance programs that reimburse at lower rates than private health plans. Public plans, such as Medicare and Medi-Cal, pay a fixed rate based upon regulation and statute that is below the actual costs for ambulance transport to the hospital.
San Diego County Fire (County Fire), on behalf of the ASA, recently conducted a review of fees to ensure compliance with Board of Supervisors Policy B-29, Fees, Grants, and Revenue Contracts - Department Responsibility for Cost Recovery (Board Policy B-29), which requires County departments to recover the costs to provide services to agencies or individuals. As a result, County Fire is...
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