Special Safety Committee on Ambulance Fee Increases Planned

Aug 09, 2022

Cleveland (August 9, 2022) – Councilman Mike Polensek will hold a special Safety Committee hearing next week on the new ambulance service fees recently raised by Mayor Bibb’s administration.

Ambulance fees hadn’t increased since 2004, something Councilman Charles Slife identified during the budget hearings and recommended to the administration to work with council on a fair increase of those rates. Council wants to ensure these increases don’t negatively and disproportionately impact low-income, uninsured and underinsured Cleveland residents.

Members of the administration will be asked to attend to help council understand the rationale behind the rate increases, which could double the old rates, as well as any impacts on residents.

“We need to have rigorous oversight on these matters,” said Councilman Polensek, who chairs the Safety Committee. “But we understand the rates hadn’t increased in nearly 20 years and needed to be raised, as Councilman Slife pointed out.”

Council President Blaine A. Griffin said, “The public has identified EMS services as one of the most critical services the city provides. It is imperative for Cleveland City Council to make sure the public understands the decision and why it was made.”