The Ellis County Emergency Medical Services fees will be going up come next year.

The county EMS Director, Kerry McCue went before the County Commission Monday night to discuss the rate increase request and said that the last time there was a fee increase was in 2009.

McCue presented an average of fees of similar counties across the state and he said that Ellis’ fees are lower or close to the lowest across the board.

McCue also said there is a reason for not updating fees every year, “It’s such a balancing act that you know, whether you are going to just increase you write offs. We have chosen to do it in increments.”

He also said that, “quite frankly discharge planners tell us, you guys are way below everyone else, you’re the cheapest on the block.”

The commission approved the recommendations from above and they will go into effect in January of 2014.

McCue also presented a departmental activity report and said that through August they have averaged nine calls per day and September and the first week of October have also been really busy.