The clock is ticking for Tulsa residents. There are only 9 days left for people to opt out of a subsidy to pay for EMSA's ambulance service. The fee will cost each household almost $4 a month extra
Wednesday, June 20th 2007, 9:00 pm
By: News On 6
The clock is ticking for Tulsa residents. There are only 9 days left for people to opt out of a subsidy to pay for EMSA's ambulance service. The fee will cost each household almost $4 a month extra on their water bill, but opting out could leave citizens with a hefty ambulance bill. News On 6 anchor Omar Villafranca reports one city councilor says the opt out process is confusing and not what he signed up for.
EMSA says the process of opting out of their TotalCare program is easy.
"You request a form, you send it back in, and you're out. It's as simple as that,†said EMSA spokeswoman Tina Wells.
A flyer explaining the TotalCare program was mailed out to Tulsa residents last month. EMSA says to opt out of the program residents can request a form, print it out online, then follow the directions.
"You fill out about six little blanks and you're out," Wells said.
City councilor John Eagleton says the process is a mess. He thinks there are too many steps for residents to opt out of the program.
"The extra step of having to call a phone number, and check your mail for the form to come, and fill the form out and mail it back separately, there's no reason for that,†said Tulsa City Councilor John Eagleton. “I stress that's not what I voted for, and that's not what other city councilors have voted for."
Eagleton says during city meetings he thought opting out would only take one step.
"It was very clearly articulated in a committee meeting that the opt out form would be incorporated into the water bill when it was received. So anybody that wanted to opt out when they mailed their check back could simply sign the form and send it back," Eagleton said.
Tina Wells with EMSA says Eagleton misunderstood the process as it was explained at the council meeting.
EMSA expected snags in the first year and hopes to improve the opt out process for future years, but Eagleton wants to fix the process as soon as possible.
"It will be smoothed out, or it will not continue in the future is my expectation," he said.
The issue is already settled for residents in Jenks and Bixby. They were automatically signed up for the program and didn't have the choice of opting out. If your a Tulsa resident and have questions about the program you can call EMSA at 449-3313. For the opt out form, click here.