Commissioners look to clean up ambulance billing

The challenge of ambulance billing continues for the Chase County Commissioners.
Kurt Bernhardt, Jacci Brown and Billie Muehlenkamp discussed the problem with Jeni Lotspeich at the Aug. 22 commissioners meeting.
Lotspeich has been working on ambulance billing as part of her job as roads secretary.
In January, the state implemented different coding for medical expenses, Lotspeich said.
If the coding isn’t exactly correct, the state won’t accept the bill.
Auditor Don Wilson suggested a company out of Washington D.C., to help with the coding.
The board directed Lotspeich to gather more information on the business Medical Billing Services for the Sept. 12 commissioners meeting.
With the purchase of new ambulances already approved by the commissioners, Leanne Klein with Wauneta EMS attended the meeting to discuss the use of the equipment grant to purchase Stryker Cot and Stair Chairs for the new ambulance.
Wauneta EMS can save $15,000 by ordering the equipment directly from Stryker sooner rather than waiting for the ambulance.
After concerns from Wilson following his review in 2022, the commissioners were cautious about how payments for the equipment would work. The grants will need to go through the county treasurer’s office rather than to Imperial and Wauneta EMS squads. After discussing the payment process, the board approved purchase of the cot, but held off on the stair chairs until they could be added to the agenda.
In other business, the board approved a bid of $50,871 for a new pickup for the Sheriff’s Office. A 2014 pickup was surplused and will be traded in for $11,500, leaving $39,371 as the final price for the new pickup.
The commissioners signed a letter of support for Southwest Weed Management. John Rundel told the commissioners that SWM uses grants to offer a 50% cost share to landowners to control invasive vegetation like salt cedars. Rundel said the program is completely voluntary.
The commissioners also discussed the selling of scrap metal and decided to handle it in house.
At the suggestion of treasurer Becky Bernard, the board will look into installing a keypad entry on the back door of the new county building.
Hold budget workshop
After the regular meeting was closed, the commissioner held their special meeting budget workshop.
Joining the workshop were officials Sheriff Kevin Mueller, Treasurer Assessor Tori Mueller and Bernard, as well as Chase County Community Hospital CEO Abby Cyboron, board member Sam McNair and hospital CFO Matt Musgrove.
CCCH is at the limit Wilson would like to see in the hospital’s fund. Wilson would like to see CCCH spend some of the funds on capital improvements.
The commissioners looked over a list of improvements provided by Cyboron, Musgrove and McNair and approved withdrawal of funds for the projects.