In late November a Senior Financial Analyst with Public Consulting Group (PCG), Jill Seime, joined the Carroll County Board of Supervisor meeting, presenting a proposal to help the county recoup Medicaid losses from ambulance services. Seime explained that the GEMT program, designed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), covers the estimated more than 80 percent loss in Medicaid covered emergency transports. The county would fill out a cost report for a match and then pay the state share of that up front to get the federal and state share back in full. PCG would then take a contingency fee of nine percent on the net gain, which does not include the state match. Supervisors this week reviewed the proposal and discussed whether or not the county should partner with PCG. Rich Ruggles says with one extension already used, they should move ahead. Dean Schettler however, had questions on the language of the agreement.
Chair, Gene Meiners explained to Schettler that the up-front payment is not to PCG, but rather a payment of the state match. PCG’s payment is supposed to come out of the final received from the federal government. Ruggles, however, says he is fine with making sure everyone is comfortable before signing.
County Attorney, John Werden, has reviewed the contract and made no comment on it, but Ruggles says he may not have been aware of that part of the process. Carroll County Ambulance Services Director, Darrell Baker, explained how he understood the program to work. He believes they will pay about a month or so ahead of the quarter end and then they will receive the entire payment back, less the PCG fee relatively shortly after that.
The board has decided to wait until next week before considering action and have proposed that Seim be invited to join their meeting on Monday, Jan 11 or that she provide some type of written response to answer all questions.
