Texas City Commission approves $120,000 in EMS charge write-offs

TEXAS CITY - Texas City Commission unanimously approved a measure Wednesday to write off more than $121,000 in emergency medical service bills that were 120 days or more past due as of Sept. 30, 2022, when the 2021-2022 fiscal year ended.

“This is a measure we do to close off records for financial purposes,” Texas City Mayor Dedrick Johnson said. “We cannot have open accounts when we undergo an audit.”

The total amount of outstanding receivables as of Sept. 30 was more than $1.26 million, Director of Finance Laura Boyd said. The total amount of write-offs for the 2020-2021 fiscal year was $490,000, Boyd said.

“Write-offs of uncollectible receivables is a normal course of business that we do annually,” Boyd said.

The city plans to still go after the overdue EMS bills and will accept payments if people decide to submit them, Johnson said. These overdue bills will go to collections by Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, a national law firm that specializes in debt collection, Boyd said.

“We will make adjustment to our finances if bills are collected after this action,” Johnson said.

The city’s emergency medical services are provided by the Texas City Fire Department, which operates four basic life support mobile intensive care ambulances. Texas City emergency medical services also provides aid to La Marque Fire Rescue, Dickinson Public Safety and the Galveston Area Ambulance Authority.

Cities frequently charge people for the emergency medical services they provide.

Texas City is one of a few jurisdictions in Galveston County with its own emergency medical service. League City, Friendswood, Dickinson and Santa Fe operate their own and the rest of the county is served by the Galveston Area Ambulance Authority, operated by the Galveston County Health District.

All commissioners were present for Wednesday’s meeting.

The next meeting of the Texas City Commission is set for 5 p.m. Jan. 18 in the Kenneth T. Nunn Council Room at City Hall, 1801 Ninth Ave.