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Chief Administrative Office, Emergency Medical Services & Emergency Preparedness and Response Division, recommending the Board consider the following related to the receipt of funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for ambulance services:
1) Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to sign an attestation confirming the receipt of funding in the amount of $168,678 and agreeing to the terms and conditions of the payment;
2) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign a budget transfer increasing revenues and appropriations in County Service Areas 3 and 7 to distribute the funding to the ambulance service contractors in those areas (4/5 vote required);
3) Find that providing this funding to ambulance service contractors supports a valuable public benefit by assisting such contractors to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus; and
4) Authorize the CAO to sign funding agreements, contingent upon County Counsel approval, or claims for direct payments to the California-Tahoe Emergency Services Operations Authority, the El Dorado County Emergency Services Authority, and the North Tahoe Fire Protection District for documented eligible expenses incurred by those agencies.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the CARES Act, which includes $100 billion in relief funds to hospitals and other healthcare providers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. The County received $168,678 specifically for ambulance transport, which is a proportionate share of the County's Medicare fee-for-service reimbursements in 2019. The County's ambulance service contractors are incurring additional costs for additional staffing and items such as cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment as a result of their response to the coronavirus pandemic. The funding was distributed to the County, as the Medicare billing entity for ambulance services; however, this funding should be provided directly to the operations contractors to assist with their response.
The Board is asked to authorize the CAO to make direct payments to the contractors in order to expedite purchases of needed equipment and pay for additional staffing. Funding will be allocated among the three contractors based on each one's proportional share of Medicare fee-for-service reimbursements over the Period of July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2019. The funds may be advanced, based on a quote or invoice from a contractor, or reimbursed based on receipts for allowable purchases. EMS & EP staff will manage this process and the Chief Administrative Office Central Fiscal Unit will fulfill all reporting requirements related to the funding. The Board is also asked to authorize the CAO to sign funding agreements, if necessary to distribute the funds.
The allocation for each contractor is:
North Tahoe Fire Protection District 0.41% $693
California-Tahoe Emergency Services Operations Authority 12.87% $21,703
El Dorado County Emergency Services Authority 86.72% $146,282
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to accept the funding or direct an alternate methodology for distributing the funding.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
North Tahoe Fire Protection District, California-Tahoe Emergency Services Operations Authority, El Dorado County Emergency Services Authority
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact to the County.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Obtain the Chair's signature on the budget transfer and return to the Chief Administrative Office.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Safety
CONTACT
Sue Hennike, Deputy CAO