Montgomery considers fees for 911 services

Charging for the use of Montgomery County’s 911 emergency medical service could net the cash-hungry county $6 million in 2009, but the head of the County Council’s public safety committee said he worried the policy may deter residents from calling for help.

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett called Monday for the creation of an emergency medical services fee that would be directly billed to patients’ insurance providers, saying the item could eventually generate $12 million to $13 million a year and help alleviate the county’s $297 million projected budget deficit. Under the plan, the fees would range from $350 to $750 per trip based on the level of service required. People without insurance would receive a waiver for the fees.