EVANSVILLE — Vanderburgh County Commissioners have sent a letter to Mayor Stephanie Terry encouraging them to work with AMR on a proposed independent study to gauge the community’s needs for emergency medical services.
AMR proposed to city officials earlier this month a joint effort to study the city’s needs for ambulance service – fully funded by AMR. The study would be completed by Fitch & Associates. It comes after Evansville’s announcement that it would terminate its long-standing contract with AMR in favor of a city-run ambulance service by June 2026.
AMR reps told the Courier & Press Wednesday afternoon that there has been no response from the city on if it will participate in the study since meeting with Terry and other city officials.
The Courier & Press has reached out to Terry’s office for comment.
In the letter from the Vanderburgh County Commission, all three commissioners proposed that Evansville Fire Chief Tony Knight take a lead role in the study, acting as the city’s representative.
Vanderburgh County also has a contract with AMR, separate from the city’s.
“There are a number of unknowns that could adversely impact the success of a city-run ambulance service, including local government funding cuts with Senate Bill 1 and the prospect of cuts to Medicaid that could negatively impact revenue projections anticipated by the city,” the commissioners’ letter states. “We also have concerns regarding the financial and operational implications to county residents of transitioning emergency medical services from AMR to the Evansville Fire Department.”
Commissioners state AMR services could improve, but it currently operates without any subsidy from either the city or county.
“We would propose commissioning the study as soon as possible as we understand the study could be completed by the Fall of 2025,” the letter states. “As such, if the study concludes it is in our community’s best interest to move forward with the city’s plan, it will result in only a short delay in the implementation of services.
“Perhaps more valuable, it would also allow for us to gain further clarity on the SB1 changes and impacts of the federal government’s cuts to Medicaid.”
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: AMR offers to pay for study to determine best ambulance system for Evansville, county
Reporting by Sarah Loesch, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
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