After expenses, the city-run ambulance service earned $402,799 for the city during the 2017-2018 fiscal year, according to reports released by Controller Matt Agresta on Tuesday. Alderman Dave Dybas had requested the information at a previous meeting. The past fiscal year began in July 2017 and ended in June 2018.
The report shows that total expenses for the past fiscal year which were associated with the service were $53,542, which included $46,800 in contractual charges such as billing fees, software licenses, and training, and $6,741 for medical supplies.
Total payments for the past fiscal year were $456,341. The total reflects only ten months of full operation, as the service didn’t begin operation until mid August 2017. Revenue was also reduced due to the time it took to receive a Medicaid billing number from New York State, which wasn’t issued to the city until close to the end of the fiscal year. According Chief Michael Whitty, Medicaid does not allow billing for services past 90 days.
According to the report, expenses are expected to rise to $138,819 for the current fiscal year, primarily due to the $47,860 yearly lease payment for the ambulance vehicle and equipment, which was waived for the first year.
