EMSAC ADVOCACY

The federal EMS on the Hill Day is approaching and there is a major shift in all things government that influence EMS, from billing to grant funding and, possibly, regulatory oversight.

Starting first with the Medicare extenders.  For those not familiar with it, EMS providers have been paid a Medicare extender bonus.  House Bill 10545 passed by the US Senate and the House of Representatives extended the temporary Medicare ambulance add-on payments of 2% urban, 3% rural and 22.6% super rural through March 31, 2025.  Most ambulance operations have a payer mix of at least one-fourth or more that are Medicare patients.  Colorado’s rural ambulance services stand to lose 22% of their reimbursement.

High school EMT student/leadership intern attends EMSAC conference

By Kaylee Gardner
Middle Park High School EMT Student/GCEMS Clinical Leadership Intern. 

Q&A with Donnie Woodyard, Jr., Executive Director of the U.S. EMS Compact

Q: What is the United States EMS Compact, and why is it important?
A: The United States EMS Compact is an agreement between states that allows licensed EMS clinicians to practice in any of the 24 Compact Member states without requiring additional licenses. It provides a "Privilege to Practice," enabling clinicians to work in multiple states while maintaining public safety and professional accountability.

The best EMS system in the country: new EMSAC President Tom Anderson

By Paramedic Bruce Evans, MPA, NRP, CFOD, SPO

Chief, Upper Pine River Fire and Rescue

On September 4, 2024, a group of Colorado paramedics and fire chiefs sat down with U.S. Senator Hickenlooper at the Granby Fire Station in Grand County.  Hosted by Chief White from Grand County Fire, Tim Dienst from Ute Pass Ambulance introduced everyone present. The meeting was moderated by paramedic and former Colorado Senate President LeRoy Garcia. For more than an hour EMS leaders from Colorado discussed community paramedicine.  Senator Hickenlooper was looking for feedback on House of Representatives Bill 8042,  The Community Paramedicine Act 2024, and evaluating being the Senate sponsor of a companion bill.

H.R. 8042, has been introduced in the U.S. House by Representatives Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Kelly Armstrong (R-ND). This bill would create a grant program under the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) that would authorize $25 million per year for five years to support community paramedicine services, award qualified entities up to $750,000 for individual applications and $1.5 million for joint applications and establish an advisory board comprising national community paramedicine, emergency medical service and fire service organizations to advise, assist, and peer review grant applications in rural and underserved areas.

2024 Colorado State EMS Awards presented at Keystone

Colorado Senate Majority Leader Learns About EMS Challenges During Denver Health Ambulance Ride-Along

By Chris Howes

EMSAC leaders' wide contributions to the profession and their communities

By Monet Meisman, EMSAC Communications Committee

American College of Paramedics to be created

By Nick Nudell, EMSAC Region 1 Representative

Clinical Practice - new!

Bonnie Culpepper Memorial Scholarship

2024 Legislative Session Summary

March 2024 Advocacy Update

Meet EMSAC's Leadership

March 2024