The Newton City Council raised ambulance rates effective immediately at meeting this past Monday. The rates are reviewed and adjusted annually based on the latest Medicare fee schedule. Newton City Administrator Matt Muckler says the City Council established in 2012 that rates charged for ambulance service from the Newton Fire Department would be 1.75 times the Medicare rates. This year, Medicare rates increased just under 2.5%, and the resulting rate increases for ambulance use will range from $11 to $80. The new rate for Basic Life Support Non-Emergency is just under $500, and Basic Life Support Emergency rate is just over $750. The corresponding rates for Advanced Life Support Non-Emergency and Emergency are just over $550 and just under $900. The new mileage charge, based on loaded miles, is just over $16, which is up from the previous rate that was just below $16.