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DC mayor wants insurance companies to pay for ambulance services

A new bill would ensure that D.C. Fire and EMS is reimbursed for care given during transports and at the scene of an emergency

By EMS1 Staff

WASHINGTON — The D.C. mayor announced she will introduce legislation requiring insurance providers to cover the entire cost of ambulance transports and other services by responders.

Mayor Muriel Bowser said the bill will help improve the district’s EMS system and ensure reimbursement for care given during transports and at the scene of an emergency. Currently, the department is only reimbursed for care that ends with a transport, reported the Washington Post.

The district collected full or partial payment in 69 percent of over 119,000 runs during 2016. The department said nearly 50 percent of the daily medical 911 calls they receive are considered non-emergencies. In order to offset the high volume of calls and decrease response times, the city brought in a private ambulance company to respond to non-emergency calls.

“We have made great strides, but we have even more work to do. There needs to be more advanced life support units available for our most critical patients,” D.C. Fire and EMS Chief Gregory Dean said.

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