Callaway Ambulance board sets 2012 budget

The Callaway County Ambulance District Board of Directors approved a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2012 during its regular meeting Tuesday night.

"Our revenues exceed our expenses by a little over $1,000," CCAD Director Charlie Anderson told the board.

Changes from 2011 include a 2.4 percent increase in base rates for ambulance services. Anderson said the increase was made necessary by the elimination - as of January 2012 - of Medicare's ambulance payment bonus for ambulance calls in urban and rural metropolitan statistical areas (Anderson said Callaway includes both).

"This will result in approximately $25,000 in lost revenue," Anderson said. "If we do (the rate increase), I believe patient care revenue should remain pretty stable."

Sales tax revenue has been budgeted at the projected amount for 2011 at $1.625 million - approximately 3 percent higher than 2010.

"We believe that's a reasonable and attainable number," Anderson said.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.