McDonough District Hospital in Macomb will save more than $10,000 per month under its new contract with Lifeguard Ambulance Services.
The new, one-year contract took effect on Friday, May 1. It replaces a five-year contract that began on January 1.
The hospital announced in March that it had given Lifeguard a 45-day notice to end the contract, effective May 3, because of the cost.
MDH officials then announced a few weeks later that they had reached a one-year agreement with Lifeguard to continue the service.
Under the new contract, the hospital will pay Lifeguard a total of $186,000, with monthly payments of $15,500 due at the start of each month.
The previous contract also called for equal monthly payments:
- Year 1 — $27,750 per month (a total of $333,000)
- Year 2 — $28,998.75 per month (a total of $347,985)
- Year 3 — $63,856.08 per month (a total of $766,273)
- Year 4 — $66,149.33 per month (a total of $793,792)
- Year 5 — $68,545.75 per month (a total of $822,549)
The future of ambulance service in the county after April of next year has not been determined.
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