Private ambulance businesses across Los Angeles were given a financial boost Friday with permission to raise medical and transportation fees.

The City Council unanimously approved new rates and charges for 53 private ambulance companies licensed to transport nonemergency patients to and from local hospitals and care facilities.

The new rate schedule was recommended by the Board of Transportation Commissioners and City Administration Officer to allow companies to keep up pace with ambulance industry costs. The last price hikes were granted three years ago.

Most ambulance services were granted price increases. A basic life support response call, for instance, went from $722 to $1,001, a nearly 39 percent increase. Some patient fees, such as for night service, were cut.

Officials said the increased revenues for ambulance companies would result in quicker ambulance response times due to increased competition, the ability of private ambulance companies to better recruit and train EMTs and paramedics, and better ambulance equipment.

Health business reporter Dana Bartholomew can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @_DanaBart.