The Taney County Ambulance District says the coronavirus outbreak is hitting their bottom line hard.

Paramedics typically respond to about 13,000 calls a year in Taney County.

When they respond to a call, the district is able to bill medicare, medicaid, private insurance.

But lately, those numbers are way down.

There are fewer calls coming in due to the stay-at-home order, which is causing the loss.

While that’s good news, Chief Coontz says it’s hard to know exactly how much this pandemic will impact the district long-term.

Sales tax usually adds an additional $4 million per year to their budget, but with many businesses shut down, people are not paying up.

He says the next three months are expected to reflect a $600,000 loss of revenue.

Paramedics don’t check their budget before they head out, they just respond.

With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the Ozarks, the ambulance district is still responding to calls, despite the impact the crisis has had on their budget.

The uncertainty has led them to make cuts where possible.

For now, they’ve made operational changes and halted education programs and community outreach.

Chief Coontz says EMTs at the district have plenty of masks and gloves to protect themselves and their patients.

If you call for an ambulance, crews will still show up – in full protective gear for the safety of themselves and others.