New Monticello ambulance expected in November

     Monticello Ambulance Administrator Britt Smith released the service activity for the Monticello Ambulance Service for the month of September.

     Total EMS calls for service: 44

This includes:

     • 19 to City of Monticello addresses

     • 6 to Monticello Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

     • 8 Jones County addresses within the Monticello service area

     • 7 transfers from Jones Regional Medical Center

     • 4 to Anamosa city addresses when the Anamosa Ambulance Service was unavailable

     Smith said he is working on submitting a funding reimbursement request through Phase III of the Cares Act for the ambulance service as an essential service.

     “I do not know the relief amount that we will receive, but it is roughly based off a portion of the revenues,” explained Smith. “The first phase was 2 percent; it is expected that we will receive roughly $10,000 for this phase.”

     In addition, Smith is working on a submission for the Ground Emergency Medical Transportation (GEMT) perspective payment program.

     “This program, once enrolled and submitted, will provide some offsetting funding for reduced Medicaid payments,” Smith shared. “This will help increase our revenues.”

     The new ambulance for the service is expected to arrive by the end of November.

     “This is great timing as we have been seeing some mechanical failures with our oldest unit that could become costly if we were forced to make the repairs to stay operational,” Smith said.