It's highly unlikely Acadian Ambulance will get the massive increases it is seeking in renewal of its contract as Lafayette Parish's sole provider.
City-Parish Councilman Kevin Naquin won't disclose what's in the amendment he's putting forth as part of the contract renewal negotiations with Acadian Ambulance. Naquin says the amendment has not been finalized, but he's made it clear Acadian won't get the big increases it's asking for.
The council is scheduled to vote on the contract renewal Tuesday. The existing contract, signed nine years ago, expires March 24.
Acadian has been seeking to move all of its municipal contracts to a "customary rate" plan and has succeeded in getting officials in about 36 parishes and Texas counties on board, which has often meant massive increases in the rates for emergency and non-emergency transports, as well as supplies and procedures, and medications medics might administer.
In Lafayette, a move to customary rates would increase emergency transport costs to $877, 41 percent more than the current rate. Local residents would pay $593 for a non-emergency ride, a whopping 70 percent increase over the existing contracted price.
On top of that, Acadian is also asking that the automatic annual 3 percent increase built into the current contract be doubled to 6 percent. View the details of the proposed ordinance here. http://www.lafayettela.gov/OBCouncil/ViewDocument.aspx?docID=435851
Acadian has the blessing of the five-member (two of the seven seats, those previously held by Dr. John Stroy and Jerry Morgan, are vacant) Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board, but at least two council members tell The Independent they will not support the proposed contract.
Read more in last week's news story "Way Out of Whack."