Counties to Hochul: Sign EMS legislation

Posted 10/2/24

During the annual fall meeting of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), county officials adopted a resolution calling for Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign legislation sponsored by Sen. …

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Counties to Hochul: Sign EMS legislation

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During the annual fall meeting of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), county officials adopted a resolution calling for Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign legislation sponsored by Sen. Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember Anna Kelles that would allow EMS agencies and ambulance networks to be reimbursed for treating patients at the scene of the incident and/or transporting them to non-emergency room-based care facilities for treatment and triage.

This legislation has been a top priority for counties and is critical to ensuring EMS providers are financially stable and can properly operate and serve our state’s residents and visitors.

Under current law, EMS agencies are only reimbursed when transporting a patient to a hospital emergency room. This arrangement is not only financially challenging for EMS agencies, but it also contributes to patients being transported to healthcare settings when a hospital emergency room may not be the most appropriate setting to administer treatment. Additionally, hospital emergency rooms across the state are already beyond capacity, with extraordinary wait times for admission to a hospital bed and is often the most expensive care setting possible for the patient.

During the COVID pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) allowed waivers for ambulance services to be reimbursed for treatment in place and transportation to an alternative provider, but these ended in May 2023. Data from these waivers indicates that reimbursing EMS for Treatment In Place (TIP) and Transportation to Alternative Destinations (TAD) would save the federal government around $2 billion annually, and commensurate savings at the state level.

Allowing EMS practitioners to treat patients at their homes or the scene of the incident and receive reimbursement for delivering those services enables EMS agencies to return to action immediately—rather than waiting for a hospital to admit their patient.

Many patients dial 9-1-1 to seek emergency medical treatment when they are experiencing a mental health crisis. Allowing EMS agencies to transport a patient immediately to a behavioral health care facility not only expedites the patient’s mental health treatment but also relieves inpatient hospital mental health units from having to respond to every mental health incident.

New York State Association of Counties
Albany, NY

New York State, Association of Counties, EMS, legislation, hochul

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