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Bill Would Provide Urgently Needed Funding to Ambulance Services
The League-supported measure would provide $120 million in one-time funds to aid ambulance services throughout the state, many of which are operated by cities.
A bill that would provide a total of $120 million in one-time funds to licensed ambulance services around the state was introduced in the House and Senate on Feb. 19.
The measure, HF 3992 (Rep. Dave Lislegard, DFL-Aurora)/SF 3886 (Sen. Grant Hauschild, DFL-Hermantown), would provide funds to every eligible applicant. An eligible applicant under the bill is defined as “a natural person, partnership, association, corporation, tribal government, or unit of government that is a licensed ambulance service provider.”
Under the bill, a recipient must spend aid on expenses incurred to provide licensed ambulance services within the recipient’s primary service area. The bill was referred to the tax committees in both bodies.
The legislation is in response to growing financial challenges experienced by small rural ambulance services, many of which are operated by cities. The League supports the legislation.
League support for EMS financial relief and reform
In a letter to the Legislative Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Task Force, a legislative group formed to study EMS issues statewide, the League wrote: “The League supports immediate financial relief to struggling licensed ambulance services but also interventions designed to help improve efficiencies and resolve serious workforce challenges, capital equipment needs, education, and ongoing operational deficits.”
Additionally, the League supports:
- Allowing local units of government to designate which licensed ambulance service provider or providers may serve their communities and to determine the appropriate level of service.
- Providing local units of government with tools and authority to ensure transparency by EMS providers.
- Uncoupling the professional standards overview role of the Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board (EMSRB) from the service area determination.
- Requiring the membership of the EMSRB to be regionally balanced between Greater Minnesota and the metropolitan area.
- Modifying the membership of the EMSRB to include representatives of municipal ambulance services.
- Legislative consideration of setting term limits for EMSRB members.
- Continued authority for the EMSRB to set professional standards.
- Requiring the EMSRB to submit biennial reports on EMS service delivery data points for each local unit of government to appropriate legislative committees.
- Federal legislation that would require Medicare to set ambulance payment rates to cover the cost of providing service for both transport and non-transport care of patients.
What’s next?
The League is hopeful the funding measure will advance in 2024. EMS reform and accountability provisions, as well as long-term funding solutions, may have to wait until 2025 when the recommendations of the Legislative EMS Task Force are completed.
The League has been convening a separate group called the Minnesota EMS Delivery and Sustainability (MEDS) Task Force. That group, which is being co-chaired by leaders of the Minnesota Ambulance Association and the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association. Co-chairs are Mayo Clinic Coordinator for Community Paramedicine Michael Juntunen and Edina Fire Chief Andrew Slama. The MEDS Task Force is also developing recommendations.