§ 4-7. Rates.

(a)

Rates to be charged. It shall be unlawful for any certificate holder to charge, demand, request, or accept any fare other than the rates established pursuant to this ordinance except as may be provided by: (1) Federal law; (2) a countywide emergency and non-emergency ambulance service and non-emergency medical transportation vehicle service contract between one or more private ambulance providers and Miami-Dade County; or, (3) by resolution adopted by the Board approving a lower uniform rate to provide private inter-facility transfer of indigent or Medicaid patients to or from a state-designated and licensed rural hospital, as specified in Section 395.602(2)(e)4, Florida Statutes, where said rate has been negotiated by the hospital and a private certificate holder. Rates established by this chapter shall be applicable throughout Miami-Dade County, both in the incorporated and unincorporated areas, without regard to any municipal boundaries. Every ambulance shall have posted in a conspicuous place, readily visible to the occupants, a schedule showing all authorized rates.

(b)

Ambulance and air ambulance rates. All ambulance rates shall be established by the commission after public hearing. Neither the commission nor the Mayor shall establish air ambulance rates unless the commission finds that (1) air ambulance rates being charged are excessive and (2) it is in the best interest of Miami-Dade County to establish an air ambulance rate. Air ambulance certificate holders shall provide an annual written report to the commission stating the air ambulance rates being charged. The Mayor shall investigate all requests for rate changes and prepare a report for the commission's consideration.

(c)

Private ground ambulance rates. All private ground ambulance rates shall be uniform among all certificate holders, except as provided in Section 4-7(a).

(d)

Ambulance Rates Charged by Municipal Fire and/or Rescue Departments. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all ambulance rates charged by a municipal fire and/or rescue department in Miami-Dade County shall be established by resolution adopted by each city commission after a public hearing. Ambulance rates charged by municipal fire and/or rescue departments shall not be subject to approval by the Board of County Commissioners. Each municipality which adopts a resolution establishing a schedule of ambulance rates for a municipal fire and/or rescue department shall provide the Miami-Dade County Consumer Services Department with a copy of the resolution approving any rate change as well as the schedule of rates within thirty (30) days after the adoption of the resolution authorizing the rate change. Rate changes adopted by municipal fire and/or rescue departments after the effective date of this section shall only become effective when filed with the Consumer Services Department as provided for in the preceding sentence. Every ambulance shall have posted in a conspicuous place, readily visible to the occupants, a schedule showing all authorized rates.

(Ord. No. 94-93, § 2, 5-17-94; Ord. No. 01-38, § 1, 3-8-01; Ord. No. 10-02, § 1, 1-21-10; Ord. No. 15-86, § 1, 9-1-15)