City might change ambulance policy

Riverside may reverse course and allow more than one ambulance company to transports non-emergency patients within the city.

Currently, only Colorado-based American Medical Response is allowed to make those trips in Riverside, but Care Ambulance in Orange might be getting close to getting a permit and providing some competition, according to a report in The Press-Enterprise.

Also, a city council subcommittee has recommended granting permits to three other ambulance service providers, the report stated.

American Medical Response has a contract with Riverside County to handle emergency calls in virtually every part of the county. Each city decides how to handle scheduled or non-emergency calls, but Riverside requires city approval and a special permit, according to the report.

The Riverside Fire Department oversees the permitting process.

While competition typically drives down prices, there’s debate regarding how much that will happen here because ambulance fees are limited by the county and Medicare establishes some charges, according to the report.