1870ORDINANCE NO. $ 7p
AN ORDINANCE TO WAIVE COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES BILLING AND COLLECTIONS
TO BE PROVIDED BY CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION, A
SUBSIDIARY OF UNIVERSAL COLLECTION SYSTEMS AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, Arkansas Code Annotated Section 14-58-303 allows waiving of competitive
bidding in exceptional situations where such procedure is deemed not feasible or practical; and
WHEREAS, there are many items necessary for the City's use where competitive bidding
is deemed not feasible or practical; and
WHEREAS, the Fire Commission considered the proposal of Consumer Acceptance
Corporation (CACj, a subsidiary of Universal Collection Systems, to provide billing and
collection services for Emergency Medical Services, and the Fire Commission has recommended
that the City of West Memphis contract with Consumer Acceptance Corporation for such services
for one year subject to review in six months; and
WHEREAS, competitive bidding for such services would not be feasible or practical
under the circumstances and the City of West Memphis would not be assured of receiving
competent and qualified services based simply upon the lowest bid;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COt1NCIL OF THE
CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS, ARKANSAS, THAT:
1. That competitive bidding be waived for the following items to be used by the City,
described as follows:
Billing and collection services for Emergency Medical Services to be provided by
Consumer Acceptance Corporation, a subsidiary of Universal Collection Systems, for one year
subject to a review in six months and pursuant to the terms as set out the proposal dated March
1 S. 1999.
2. The Mayor and City Clerk are hereby authorized to execute an agreement with
Consumer Acceptance Corporation for the services described above upon the terms as set out in
their proposal dated March 15, 1999, and as approved by the West Memphis Fire Commission.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 3 rc~ day of ~~,~ e , 19 ~9
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, Mayor
ATTEST:
PHILL PARR, City Clerk
SPONSORED BY
~~~ U~,t
1~~~~~
REC~~~l~D
CITY CLERKS UFFICE
DATE (~ ~ q~ /f ; sSa.n~
FROM ~~Q ~a.lrF~_
~~i~_
~~ I
i
~'
M
Universal Collection Systems
~'
`°~~.~-~~'' Mazch 15, 1999
City of West Memphis EMS
200 N. 7`~ Street
West Memphis, AR 72301
Chief Holmes:
Thank you very much for the opportunity to propose billing and collection for the West Memphis
EMS. To follow is an outline of how Universal will effectively handle the billing and collection
of West Memphis EMS.
1. A Universal representative will pick up trip information for billing from the EMS office on a
weekly basis.
2. Consumer Acceptance Corporation (CAC), a subsidiary of Universal Collection Systems,
will file Medicare and Medicaid from trip tickets.
3. Notices will be sent out immediately with phone contact to follow to those being denied by
either Medicare or Medicaid.
4. Any transport with commercial insurance can be filed upon request.
5. Any Medicare or self-pay balances will be allowed to make payments to CAC on a monthly
basis.
6. Minimum payment allowable from self-pays will be $20.00.
7. Any account with no insurance pending who has been making payments and goes over 60
days without a payment, will be placed with Universal Collection for full recovery efforts.
8. All information being sent to self-pay or insured individuals will advise them to send any and
all payments to CAC. CAC will then send West Memphis EMS a check monthly on all
payments received, less our fee for services rendered.
9. CAC does understand and respect the confidentiality of patient records and will not disclose
any information on any transport. CAC will also either return all records to West Memphis
EMS or shred the information with receipt being forwarded to EMS showing proof of
shredding.
10. CAC does hereby agree to file all claims and handle monthly payments from self pays until a
point of delinquency, at the rate of 10% of amount paid from insurance companies, Medicare,
Medicaid and self pays monthly payments.
11. Accounts deemed uncollectable due to either denial from insurance or self-pay that does not
pay will be worked by Universal Collection Systems at the contingency rate of 30%.
Universal and Consumer Acceptance Corporation can begin billing within 30 days. If you have
any questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call.
Sincerely, ~~~ ~
Eddie W. Shaw
Director of Marketing
3637 Parlt Avenue, Memphis, TN 38111 901-452-8900
~,