Subject:
Title
Agreement with Waystar Health for the RescueNet Billing Software and waiver of Pinellas County’s indemnification requirements per County Resolution No. 06-70.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and signature by the County Administrator of the agreement with Waystar Health and waiver of Pinellas County’s indemnification requirements per County Resolution No. 06-70.
• This agreement provides for electronic claims clearinghouse services for 1,562 legacy RescueNet claims with an estimated expenditure of $85,000.00 for a term of 12-months.
• Financial Services transitioned to Zoll Billing on April 1, 2026; 1,562 legacy RescueNet claims requiring electronic transmission remain outstanding with nearly $700K in collections at risk without continued electronic submission capability.
• County Attorney raised concerns about contract terms (indemnity, governing law, termination, data breach, prompt pay). Benefits and revenue protection outweigh contractual risks; overall exposure considered low.
• Funds are included in the EMS Fund FY26 Adopted budget and the FY27 Proposed budget for this agreement.
Contract No. 26-0431-N; total 12-month not-to-exceed contract amount of $85,000.00.
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Strategic Priorities:
Smart Service Delivery
4.2 Achieve and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction.
4.3 Improve efficiency of service delivery through technology.
4.4 Pursue continuous improvement.
4.5 Develop and retain a highly skilled and efficient workforce.
Summary:
This contract provides the Financial Services Division of the Safety & Emergency Services Department with electronic claims clearinghouse services. This contract replaces Contract 189-0322-P, to cover historical claims that will need to be cycled, while the new Contract 25-0334-RFP handles all new claims.
Additionally, the County has standard indemnification requirements which the vendor has taken exception to. The County Attorney’s Office and SES have reviewed the proposed indemnification language. The department does not consider the revised language to be a considerable level of risk. This disclosure is set forth in accordance with the requirements of County Resolution No. 06-70.
Background/Explanation:
The Financial Services Division transitioned to the Zoll Billing system for ambulance services billing effective April 1, 2026. While all claims with a Date of Service April 1, 2026 and beyond are now processed in Zoll Billing, a volume of 1,562 active legacy claims remain in the legacy RescueNet system and must be adjudicated to avoid the loss of nearly $700,000 in outstanding collections. To continue submitting these legacy claims electronically required by major payers including the VA, Medicare, Medicaid and various commercial insurance plans, the County relies on its existing clearinghouse vendor, Waystar. Alternative clearinghouse options are not feasible within required filing timelines due to new vendor onboarding, payer registration, and the administrative time needed for system setup.
The proposed approach is to retain Waystar services for one additional year to finalize RescueNet claims, consistent with the original transition plan. The agreement is for one year to finish submitting the remaining claims.
The contract extension has been discussed and reviewed with department leadership and the County Attorney’s office.
Fiscal Impact:
Waystar’s estimated maximum contract cost is $85,000, with no minimum volume commitments. Funds are included in the EMS Fund FY 2026 adopted budget and the FY27 proposed budget for these expenditures.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to approve and execute this Agreement is granted under Code Section 2-188 and County Resolution No. 06-70.
Staff Member Responsible:
Dave Hare, Interim Bureau Director, Safety & Emergency Services
Merry Celeste, Purchasing Division Director, Office of Management & Budget
Chris Rose, Director, Office of Management & Budget
Partners:
N/A
Attachments:
Agreement