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Ambulance Policies
Hospital Choice Limitations
Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the Ankeny Fire Department will no longer transport patients to Unity Point Methodist West nor MercyOne West Des Moines campuses. This decision was made after a comprehensive review of our operations and in consideration of the following:
1. Increased Transportation Times: Extended travel times to these facilities significantly impact our ability to respond promptly to other emergencies in our service area.
2. Wear and Tear on Fleet: The added mileage to our vehicles increases maintenance needs and costs, which could impact the longevity and availability of our fleet.
3. Patient Care Considerations: By bypassing closer Des Moines Metro hospitals, we may inadvertently delay critical care that patients require, which is not aligned with our mission to prioritize the best outcomes for those we serve.
4. Medicare/Medicaid Reimbursements: The west campuses are not considered to be in our “locality” according to Medicare/Medicaid, which means associated transport costs would not be reimbursed to the City of Ankeny, or would not be covered, thus making the patient responsible.
Lift Assistance
Effective July 1, 2025, the Ankeny Fire Department will begin charging for lift assistance for both residential customers and assisted living facilities.
- For facilities, meaning, an assisted living facility, nursing home, memory care facility, or any other type of location that provides staffing as part of their service to the resident - the facility is expected to provide the lift assistance and if the Ankeny Fire Department is used instead, the facility will incur a cost of $500/incident. The resident will not incur this cost, rather the facility will for not providing the services paid for by the resident.
- For residential customers, meaning, a private residence or facility where staffing is not available, nor paid for as part of a contract. Examples: Private home, multi-family dwelling, townhome, apartment, or independent living at a commercial facility. At these defined properties, residents will incur a cost of $150/incident for 3 or more lift assists in a calendar year. This is tracked by person, not address.