SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The San Diego City Council Tuesday approved increasing the cost of ambulance services for private insurers over the next three years, starting July 1.
The action is only possible because the city began using an "alliance model" for emergency ground ambulance services in Fiscal Year 2024, which allowed the city to charge and collect fees to recoup some costs. The alliance model is a public-private partnership where a local public agency contracts with private ambulance companies to provide emergency ambulance services.
Tuesday's action will increase what the city will charge private insurers for emergency services by 7% for Fiscal Year 2026, a 5% increase beginning on July 1, 2026 for Fiscal Year 2027, and a 5% increase beginning on July 1, 2027 for Fiscal Year 2028. The cost increases will not impact Medi-Cal or Medicare fees.
According to a city document, in the next fiscal year revenue from patient charges in the Emergency Medical Transport Program Fund are estimated to be $131.8 million -- assuming a 33% collection rate, the current proportions of how people pay and around 117,000 annual transports.
The estimated cost of EMS services in Fiscal Year 2026 is $391.9 million.
The current fee for an ALS Emergency Transport Level 2 -- the top level of care with "transportation by ground ambulance vehicle and the provision of medically necessary supplies and services" -- is $3,151.32. That number will increase to $3,371.91 in Fiscal Year 2026, $3,540.31 in Fiscal Year 2027 and $3,717.53 in Fiscal Year 2028.
A review of ambulance charges across the county was conducted in 2024. At that time, San Diego's patient charges were below the countywide average of $3,283 per transport, with several jurisdictions exceeding $4,000, according to the city. By 2028, these charges will be in line with the county average.
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