Clark County Ambulance Service Faces Critical Level Zero Instances Amid Medicaid Collection Issues
Clark County Board Meeting | February 20, 2026
Article Summary: The Clark County Ambulance Service reported hitting “level zero” availability six times over a single weekend, while simultaneously navigating revenue shortfalls caused by Medicaid processing errors and misdirected county funds.
Clark County Board Key Points:
-
Ambulance call volume has been extremely busy, resulting in the service hitting level zero six times over a recent weekend.
-
Collections are currently down due to a Medicaid issue, which the department has identified and is working to correct.
-
A separate financial issue involved ambulance funds being mistakenly directed to the Health Department.
-
A new ambulance is nearing completion and will soon join the active fleet.
The Clark County Board on Friday, February 20, 2026, reviewed a challenging monthly report from the Clark County Ambulance Service (CCAS), detailing periods of critical unavailability, billing hurdles, and administrative funding errors.
Chace Bramlett delivered the ambulance report for January 2026 during the committee reports section of the meeting. According to the minutes, Bramlett reported that call volume has been “extremely busy.” The high demand recently forced the service to operate at “level zero”—meaning no ambulances were available to dispatch—six times over a single weekend. Despite the strain on resources, Bramlett assured the board that response times have remained “very good.”
The department is also actively untangling a pair of financial complications. Bramlett reported that revenue collections have been down recently due to a specific issue with Medicaid processing. He noted that the source of the problem has been found and staff members are currently working to correct it.
Additionally, Bramlett informed the board of an administrative error where some of the designated ambulance funds were mistakenly directed toward the county’s Health Department. Efforts are underway to correct the misallocation and return the funds to the ambulance service.
On a positive operational note, Bramlett announced that a new ambulance is expected to be completed soon and will be integrated into the active fleet to help shoulder the high call volumes. He is also collaborating with the Farm Bureau to establish another Tourniquet Program for the community.
Following the operational update, Board Member Brandon Burkybile announced that Bramlett has been formally nominated for Director of the Year. The board indicated it will be sending a letter in support of his nomination.
Latest News Stories
Supreme Court declines to hear felony gun possession case
Illinois Quick Hits: Pritzker blasts Trump military action
Plastics industry applauds Trump’s focus on strengthening manufacturing
Everyday Economics: The Fed’s labor-market reality check
Trump: Iran operations to continue until objectives achieved
Junior High and High School Teams Capture Titles and Awards
Marshall Authorizes Nearly $800,000 for Lead Line Replacements and Route 1 Utility Projects
Black Chicagoans disproportionately face force by CPD
Meeting Summary and Briefs: City Council of Casey for February 17, 2026
Physicians assistants leave for Iowa due to licensing wait times in Illinois
Illinois quick hits: Chicago debt deal pushes payments down road
Republican candidates for governor, U.S. Senate discuss energy, SCOTUS
Illinois Quick Hits: Indiana governor signs Bears stadium bill