By Laura French
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump discussed COVID-19 relief for ambulance services at a press briefing Tuesday, saying he will “look into” issues surrounding Provider Relief Fund reimbursements.
During the briefing, a reporter asked Trump about the $2.89 billion requested by ambulance associations to reimburse agencies for their work during the pandemic, noting that agencies have reportedly received only $300 million through the Provider Relief Fund, which is managed by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Trump responded saying, “I just heard of it for the first time. The ambulance people have done an incredible job ... It’s a tough job too, very dangerous job, very tough job. I will certainly look into it.”
The American Ambulance Association said in a statement that the president’s public dialogue on the issue was a “significant development” in the push for more relief for ambulance services and EMS providers.
“We are directly requesting the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to distribute a portion of the funds remaining in the Provider Relief Fund to ambulance services. We are also advocating for Congress to include in the economic stimulus package currently being developed an allocation of more funds for ambulance service providers,” the association’s statement read. “The AAA will continue to fight for our members and the financial relief necessary to combat the pandemic and maintain a strong EMS infrastructure for the future.”
The association also included members fo use its online letter-writing tool to write to lawmakers requesting more financial relief.