The Hughes County Commission has approved a five-year ambulance service contract with current provider AMR.
Under the new agreement, Hughes County will pay 36% of the $415,000 contract for 2023 which totals $149,400.
Fort Pierre has already approved its new contract for 13% of the annual cost or $53,950 in 2023. Stanley County has approved paying 11%, or $45,650.
The Pierre City Commission has yet to formally discuss a new contract. Should they approve the same agreement signed by the other three entities, Pierre would pay 40% of the cost, or $166,000.
The amount paid will increase for each of the four governments by 3% each year through the end of the contract in 2027. The current agreement with AMR expires at the end of this year (2022).
Earlier this year, American Medical Response came to all four entities saying their cost to operate in the two counties has increased from $135-thousand this year (2022) to $415-thousand for next year. A primary reason for the increase is a lack of staff. AMR has been forced to hire traveling paramedics from as far away as California to cover gaps in staffing here– which means covering the cost of travel, lodging and meals in addition to the wages for traveling paramedics.
40% Pierre = $166,000
36% Hughes County = $149,400
13% Fort Pierre = $53,950
11% Stanley County = $45,650
$415,000 total for 2023
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