WHEREAS ambulance associations and ambulance operators write-off thousands of dollars in uncollectable accounts each year;AND WHEREAS the majority of accounts written off are from transients and out of province visitors;AND WHEREAS the Provincial Government has available to them more resources and means to pursue these account than are available to local ambulance operators.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties urge the Government of Alberta through Alberta Health to accept responsibility for payment to ambulance associations and operators of all uncollectable accounts over one year old, and after all other collection efforts have failed.

Since 1998 the East Central Ambulance Association has written off $13,697.69 in uncollectable accounts and possibly an additional $4,600.00 during the current year. Any shortfall in the Associations operation is passed on to the municipal partners through requisitions, and thus to our ratepayers.The persons involved do not have Blue Cross or other extended health coverage and the majority are transients, with many invoices returned marked address unknown.Each account is sent a monthly statement followed up by a phone call, and turned over to a collection agency after 120 days. These accounts are only written off when these efforts have failed.The East Central Ambulance Association feels the Provincial Government has more resources and means through government sources to eventually collect these accounts and therefore these uncollectable accounts should not be an additional cost to our ratepayers.