The NASEMSO Executive Committee has released an issue brief on the need for shared state and federal regulation of air medical services.
The Association believes that clearly defined areas of federal and state responsibilities can be delineated in order to ensure effective oversight of air and medical operations of AMS services. An unprecedented growth in the number of emergency medical aircraft has resulted from increases in reimbursement, not from proven medical necessity.
Uncontrolled insertion of new AMS providers in an EMS system has been disruptive to states attempting to provide effective EMS system response and patient care. The federal government and the states should coordinate their oversight of AMS operations in a manner that will ensure effective AMS use in state EMS and health care systems and appropriate use in meeting patient care needs.
The federal government authority should be clarified to reserve to the states the oversight of the medical aspects of AMS operations. For more information, go to the NASEMSO web site at www.nasemso.org.