He told the council members at their regular meeting Monday night that the recent decision to use VinTech Management Services, the state's oldest licensed emergency medical services management provider, for ambulance calls weekdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. was made because it had reached the point that "getting people to volunteer time weekdays is next to impossible" and "it's been that way for a while."
Mr. Oxton, who was introduced to the Town Council by the president of the ambulance corporation, longtime civic volunteer Andrew Armstrong, said that 143 of the 163 volunteer ambulance corps in the state bill for their services.
He said that VinTech, which is based in Torrington and was established in 1998, was one of "two or three firms" that the ambulance corporation reviewed and that the company was chosen, in part, because its "specialty is manpower."
Mr. Oxton said that volunteers would continue to provide services during the other hours of the weekdays and throughout the weekends.
In response to a question from council member John Lillis, he said that Holdsworth, Pelton & Associates, based in East Berlin, is handling the billing.
Mr. Oxton said that Holdsworth, Pelton, which handles those duties for "50 percent of the volunteer ambulance corps in the state," was chosen over two other companies that were interviewed.
In response to a question from council member Peter Mullen, he said that everyone using the ambulance services is billed.
"State regulations require that we bill everybody-day, night or weekend," Mr. Oxton said.
"The rate is not a rate that we have set up," he said. "The state tells you what the rates are."
Mr. Oxton said that regardless of a person's ability to pay he or she would receive quality service.
"Everyone gets exactly the same service," the ambulance corps board member said.
In response to a question from Dr. Mullen, Mr. Oxton said that the ambulance corps, which is based at 20 Youngs Field Road, would bill a user "at least twice" regardless of who they are but does have provisions for "debt forgiveness" and "partial debt forgiveness."
He said that "debt forgiveness" would be "provided to them if their gross income is at or below the federal poverty level."
Mr. Oxton said that "partial debt forgiveness also would be based on federal poverty guidelines."
"We will be able to work with them through our billing agent a non-interest methodology to pay for what is not covered by their insurance," he told the Town Council.
Additionally, Mr. Oxton said that there are instances where, for example, older residents might attempt to pay all of their charges even if it would cause them to forego buying some of their groceries.
He said the ambulance corps has a procedure to address those cases.
"We will honor requests from doctors, hospitals and clergy that tell us that, for example, 'Mrs. Jones can't afford this, but she will try to do it,' " Mr. Oxton said.
"We will address those issues right away," the ambulance corps board member said.
Mr. Oxton said that the cost for the paid EMTs during the daytime is estimated at $125,000 for this year and that the ambulance corps expects to generate $393,000 in revenue.
When asked about how much the group could pledge above the paid EMT costs toward financing the proposed $3.5 million ambulance barn, Mr. Oxton said, "We're going to pay as much as we possibly can," noting that it is a public service organization.
Residents with questions or comments on the billing rates and procedures are invited to attend a session Feb. 12 at 9 a.m. on the first floor of the Richmond Community Center on the Green. For information regarding that session, residents may call the center at 860-355-6075.