Can I put that on a card? A new way to pay at EMS

By Catherine Odson, catherineodson@miconews.com

Miami County Emergency Medical Services will start accepting credit card payments for ambulance trips within the next month.

Residents won’t have to pull out a card to get to the hospital, though.

“We won’t put those little readers in the ambulance,” EMS Chief Jason Jenkins said. “I promise.”

The county clerk’s office also will be able to accept credit card payments.

The option will help everyone, County Treasurer Gayla Shields said.

For Jenkins, the system will help his department close accounts. A lot of people hold debts with EMS, he said, but if they charge their bill to a credit card, the county is done with the account.

The clerk’s office will be able to process hunting and fishing licenses with the system, Shields said.

The treasurer’s office has accepted credit cards since April 2004 for property tax and motor vehicle payments, Shields said.

The four major credit cards are accepted, Shields said, and the user, not the county, pays the service fee. The only cost to the county is some additional printing, she said.

Some people have even charged their property taxes to rack up frequent flier miles, she said.

“It becomes their decision about their finances,” Shields said.

Shields has the equipment to get those two departments running in the next few weeks. Other county departments could be added in stages, she said.