KAPA takes EMS issues to nation’s capitol
Written by John Hultgren
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10 May 2012
(May 9, 2012 – WASHINGTON, D.C.) Members of the Kentucky Ambulance Providers Association met with Kentucky’s Congressional members and their legislative staff this week in Washington, D.C., to discuss some of the challenges that Medicare funding, medication shortages, revised ambulance specifications and federal death benefits present for emergency medical services agencies across Kentucky.
Representatives of the Kentucky Ambulance Providers Association have travelled to Washington seven out of the past nine years.
One of the messages that was delivered is that ambulance providers are facing serious financial burdens because of chronic, below-cost, Medicare reimbursements. Medicare reimbursements are a large portion of the payments for ambulance service, with Medicare patients accounting on average for 50% of ambulance transports across the country. According to a Government Accountability Office study, ambulance providers are paid on average 6% to 17% below cost to provide ambulance services to Medicare patients.
Temporary Medicare ambulance relief has historically been extended along with the physician fee schedule fixes. The association is asking Kentucky’s Congressional members to support the Medicare Ambulance Access Preservation Act, introduced in the Senate by Senator Charles E. Schumer (NY) and Senator Pat Roberts (NY), and introduced in the House by Congressman Charles Boustany (LA) and Congressman Richard E. Neal (MA).
The association also discussed nationwide shortages of medications that are essential to the work that ambulance personnel do. Congressional members told the association that medication shortages are currently being discussed in the upcoming Prescription Drug User Fee Act reauthorization.
The association also discussed how the General Services Administration (GSA) plans to replace the current ambulance specifications with a new set developed by the National Fire Protection Association. It is estimated that these changes will increase the cost of purchasing a new ambulance by $8,000 to $12,000 per vehicle.
The association also asked for support of the Public Safety Officers’ Benefit Improvement Act, which would extend federal death and disability benefits to non-profit nongovernmental paramedics and emergency medical technicians.
The association met with Rep. Ed Whitfield and Rep. Ben Chandler on Tuesday, along with Peter Fotos, staff director for Sen. Rand Paul, and Lauren O'Brien, deputy chief of staff and legislative director for Rep. Geoff Davis.
On Wednesday, the assication met with Rep. John Yarmouth and Rep. Brett Guthrie, along with Megan O'Donnell, legislative director for Rep. Harold Rogers, and Katelyn Conner, legislative correspondent and health care policy advisor for Sen. Mitch McConnell.
Photo from left: Mark Harrison, Joe Prewitt, Thomas Adams, Rep. Brett Guthrie, Mike Phillips, Jim Duke, John Hultgren, and Joe Bradshaw.
