Watertown City Council Approves New Ambulance Fees for Fire Rescue Services Starting Oct. 1
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council on Tuesday approved Resolution No. 26‑36, updating the city’s ambulance fee schedule to support more accurate billing for Advanced Life Support (ALS) services and specialized patient care. The new fees take effect October 1, 2026, and are designed to align with requirements from Medicare, Medicaid, the Indian Health Service (IHS), the Veterans Administration (VA), and other third‑party payers.
The changes come as Watertown Fire Rescue transitions to a new third‑party billing provider, PCC Billing, which requires more detailed, itemized billing to maximize reimbursement for the level of care provided.
Watertown Fire Rescue Chief Don Rowland presented the resolution, explaining why the fee structure needed to be updated.
“This resolution will change the ambulance fee structure that’s necessary to allow for our third‑party billing service to more accurately bill for our specialized, itemized advanced life support care services that are rendered to our patients,” Rowland said.
He added that the new fee schedule will help the department meet payer requirements:
“It’ll also provide a more detailed bill to improve our work within the requirements of our third‑party billers, such as Medicare, Medicaid, IHS, VA. And… this will also provide a better collecting opportunity for our advanced life support skills that we provide.”
Resolution No. 26‑36 establishes a comprehensive list of ambulance fees, including transport rates, specialty care charges, supplies, and standby services. Key fees include:
Transport Fees
· BLS Transport: $1,000
· BLS Emergency Transport: $1,100
· ALS Non‑Emergency Transport: $1,250
· ALS‑1 Emergency Transport: $1,350
· ALS‑2 Emergency Transport: $1,550
· ALS/SCT Specialty Care Transport: $1,550
Specialized Services
· Jaws of Life Extrication: $250
· Mileage: $21 per loaded mile
· Ambulance Standby (Special Events): $200/hour
· Paramedic Onsite Standby: $100/hour
· Lift Assists (Nursing Homes/Assisted Living): $250
Treat‑No‑Transport
· BLS Treat‑No‑Transport: $350
· ALS Treat‑No‑Transport: $500
Medical Supplies
· Basic Life Support Supplies: $100
· Defibrillation: $100
· IV Supplies: $100
· Esophageal Intubation: $100
· Advanced Life Support Supplies: $200
· Advanced Life Support 2 Supplies: $300
· Oxygen: $100
Specialty Transports
· Fixed‑Wing Medical Team Transport: $400
· Detention Center Transports: $400
The resolution notes that these fees will remain in effect until further action by the City Council.
Mayor Ried Holien asked for a motion to approve the resolution.
The motion was made by Councilman Kyle Peters and seconded by Councilman Brent Mohrmann.
With no questions or comments from councilmembers, Holien called for a voice vote that was passed unanimously.
