Long Beach : Council OKs 65% Increase in Private Ambulance Rates
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The cost of private ambulance service in Long Beach shot up 65% this week when the City Council granted Bowers Ambulance Service a rate increase.
The charge for a basic life support response call from Bowers increased from $109.50 to $162.75. The charge for an advanced life-support unit, equipped with critical-care equipment and a registered nurse, increased by 81%, from $149.50 to $271.
The council’s action Tuesday allows the other four ambulance companies working in Long Beach to increase their fees to the same maximum rates set for Bowers.
Councilmen Warren Harwood and Clarence Smith questioned the sharp fee hikes. “This is a huge increase,” Harwood said.
The rate hike is needed to offset various cost increases, according to Bowers officials. The increase will make Long Beach’s private ambulance fees comparable to Los Angeles County’s private providers, they said.
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