[an error occurred while processing this directive]

LATEST SUBMISSIONS

Golden out of bounds in billing people for rescues

Friday, October 5 at 6:00 PM

This Speakout has not been edited.

By Mark Speckman

I read the recent Rocky Mountain News article on the Golden Fire Department billing people for their services outside of their jurisdiction. While the city of Golden may make this sound as though it is an ethical and fair practice I do not believe that it is. To me it is a shameless attempt to shake people down for money. Writing off the majority of what they are owed doesn’t make it right.

The article said that Alpine rescue was on scene but did not make the rescue but would have done so for free. Did anyone offer Mr. Seals the option of picking his rescuers? I can’t imagine that anyone would pick the agency that wanted to charge over an agency that would do it for free. I am familiar with both organizations. I have been a paramedic since 1984. I have an extensive resume in emergency medical services.

If Golden does not want to expend the resources on nontaxpayers then they should have left the rescue to other agencies. They would argue that they are legally obligated to respond. They may have a point, but there are other agencies that would have responded (as evidenced by the fact that Alpine rescue did respond).

To me it comes back to what the reasonable man could have expected. If I get a ride in an ambulance I can reasonably expect that I am going to be billed for their services. If I am fortunate to have health insurance they probably would have paid the bill. I have the opportunity to prepare for the financial obligation. Mr. Seals had no way of knowing that if he had an accident that he was going to be billed for the rescue and subsequently no way to prepare for it should the need arise as it did in this case. Would someone who was hit by drunk driver be charged for extrication services when the only thing they did wrong was put themselves at risk in an area that Golden might respond to? Who is monitoring Golden for ethical conduct and billing practices? The questions just keep coming.

It would be interesting to know (as a resident of the West Metro Fire Protection District) why they didn’t pursue trying to get some money. Did they not pursue it because they felt it was unethical and unfair?

Having said all of this I need to make a couple of points and declare my biases. I am all for billing people who ski out of bounds or take reckless chances. They know what they are doing and are assuming the risk. It isn’t clear in your story if Mr. Seals was acting in a reckless manner. I would think not as he was not charged with criminal activity and no one seems to have made that allegation. I understand that running a fire department is expensive. When I was last in management in emergency medical services it was costing about $350,000 per year to keep one paramedic-staffed ambulance in service 24/7. I am sure it much higher now. Money is always tight.

Good stewardship is important everywhere but what Golden is doing just doesn’t seem right. My view of this is tainted, as I believe that everyone should have universal access and coverage for basic health care.

In the end it seems to me that Golden is being opportunistic and taking advantage of situations to try and scrounge a few extra dollars. I agree with Alpine Rescue. Even though I am a health-care provider, I will think twice about calling for help. Imagine someone without my training and experience trying to avoid calling for help and the end result is that more people get hurt or even killed. Is that good public policy?

For the amount of money Golden is collecting I would think that it would not be worth their effort or the negative publicity.

I encourage the Rocky to contact other agencies and find out their policies. This issue deserves public discussion. As Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink pointed out, it is pretty rare for departments to engage in this practice. I hate to legislate a solution for this, but if it becomes widespread practice it may require one because it is just plain wrong.

Mark Speckman is an EMT-paramedic.

READER COMMENTS