Cascade Medical seeks levy renewal to sustain 24/7 emergency services

LEAVENWORTH – Cascade Medical Center will be asking voters to renew a 6-year levy for its emergency medical services (EMS) on April 22.

The special election ballot will ask for the same rate of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value that was last approved by voters in 2019. The levy rate would amount to an estimated cost of approximately $250 a year for a home with an assessed value of $500,000. The levy has supported the emergency department and ambulance services in the Upper Valley for 35 years, according to Cascade Medical.

The levy funds staffing emergency physicians and providers, nursing and support staff to provide for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year coverage. It also funds skills training and education for paramedics and EMTs, as well as specialized ambulances and equipment, including insurance, repairs, and fuel costs.

The hospital district encompasses approximately 1,200 square miles, spanning from Lake Wenatchee to the outskirts of Dryden and Cashmere, and covering the Stevens Pass and Blewett Pass corridors. Last year, the emergency department treated more than 4,500 patient visits. On average, the ambulance service receives between 1,300 and 1,400 calls a year, according to EMS Director Brian Pulse. 

The hospital staffs two Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances with a paramedic and EMT each, with a Medical Supervising Officer (MSO) as backup, said Pulse. Additionally, it partners with Lake Wenatchee Fire and Rescue and Fire District #3 to place Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances at the stations for coordinated response.

“I think it's critical to this area, just because of how rural this area is, you know, you never know from minute to minute what kind of emergency is going to happen,” said Pulse. “Having those resources here in town helps make sure we get adequate care to meet whatever the patient’s needs are quickly.”

According to Cascade Medical CEO Diane Blake, the emergency and ambulance services run “pretty lean.” However, 24/7 preparedness can be expensive, considering full-time staffing and specialized equipment costs. 

‘[It] is really expensive to have those services ready and available all the time. And that is no matter the setting…It's not uncommon, even in the city, for an emergency department to be a money loser for a hospital. It's just sort of the nature of it. It's resource intensive,” said Blake.

The cost of providing full-time emergency services is more than what billing and insurance covers. Fees for those services covers about 60 percent of the costs, with revenue from other hospital services paying for an additional 20 percent. While Cascade Medical does seek out additional funding sources, Blake says there aren’t “routinely that many options available” to fill such a large gap. The EMS levy is a necessary bridge to the remaining 20 percent. 

In recent years, the hospital has also seen costs of service rise due to a number of factors, including inflation, wages, and supply chain challenges. Yet, commercial insurers have not raised their payments at the same rate, said Blake. Despite this, the hospital has remained committed to 24/7/365 service.

“We feel it's essential…In the case of an emergency, it's about time…If someone's having a stroke or a heart attack, how long it takes the patient to get care can mean the difference between life and death,” said Blake. “Being in the community means that we can shorten the timeframe for patients to receive life-saving care, which results in better outcomes.”

Ballots will be mailed to voters on April 1, and must be postmarked by April 22. Taxpayers aged 62 years or older, or those with a disability, may qualify for a tax exemption.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media