Elmhurst's 'Painful' Pact With Ambulance Firm

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst officials are not trying to sugarcoat the city's proposed agreement with its longtime ambulance firm.

"It's very painful, but it reflects reality," Alderwoman Marti Deuter said at the city's Public Safety Committee meeting on Monday.

Under the terms, the city is to pay the company $2 million for the year starting Sept. 1. That's a 22 percent increase.

But that may not be all. The proposed agreement also gives the firm, Elmhurst-based Superior Ambulance, the ability to reopen the agreement if certain conditions change.

If Superior is unable to fill paramedic positions, that could trigger a reopening of negotiations for the purpose of increasing wages. The contract states the paramedic shortage is expected to last another two to four years.

"It'll get worse before it gets better," Mike Tillman, a Superior vice president, told the committee.

Elmhurst aldermen (from left) James Nudera, Marti Deuter and Jacob Hill on Monday hear the case for a new contract with Elmhurst-based Superior Ambulance. (David Giuliani/Patch)

The company could also reopen the agreement if major private insurers, Medicare or Medicaid cut reimbursement rates. It noted Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan recently did just that, cutting reimbursements to ambulance firms by half.

The city's payment to Superior is based on the decision to increase the firm's starting wage to $24 an hour, from $21 currently. In 2020, the wage was $13.

A wage of $24 an hour represents a 60 percent increase since 2020.

According to a city analysis, paramedics in Wheaton and Westmont get a little more than $24 an hour, while those in Addison, Rosemont and Elmwood Park receive $21 to $23 an hour.

Officials said the proposed contract would go before the city's Finance Committee as well. The City Council is expected to vote on it in August.