Emergency Medical Services Billing

The City of Columbus, Ohio is soliciting a comprehensive contractor to provide Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Billing services through a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued on August 29, 2025. The procurement encompasses a wide range of services including emergency medical services billing, hardware devices, hardware installation, third-party billing auditor services, and critical system interfaces with local hospitals, lockbox providers, ePayment systems, emergency facilities, and debt collectors. The contract requires data conversion, migration, and an onsite Hardware Support Technician to ensure seamless integration and transition, with billing services scheduled to commence on April 1, 2026. Key proposal deadlines include a September 19, 2025 deadline for written questions, proposal submissions due on October 10, 2025, and planned contract negotiations from November 12-26, 2025, with the contract to be signed by December 15, 2025. The City seeks a performance-based contract with potential incentive payments, covering the Columbus Division of Fire's approximately 175,000 annual incidents using 42 transport vehicles, with current EMS transport charges ranging from $754.76 for Basic Life Support to $1,285.57 for Advanced Life Support 2.

The RFP does not explicitly mention specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations. The incumbent vendor is Change Healthcare Technology Enabled Services, LLC, which experienced a significant ransomware attack in 2024 that disrupted billing processes. The existing technology infrastructure includes ImageTrend patient care reporting software, and the new contractor must integrate with this system while maintaining strict HIPAA compliance and cybersecurity standards. The proposal requires comprehensive data security measures, including a Security Plan aligned with National Institute of Standards and Technology guidelines, cybersecurity insurance of $5,000,000 per occurrence and $10,000,000 in aggregate, and protection of City data within the continental United States. The current contract with Change Healthcare had a maximum financial obligation not exceeding $1,500,000, with a fee reduction to 4.75% during the contract period. The total cumulative value of previous contract modifications amounted to $9,700,000, suggesting a significant financial scope for the new contract. Proposing vendors must provide a complete turnkey solution with 99.9% system uptime and a recovery point objective of 1 hour or less.