UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Upper Darby is bracing for potential new costs and exploring the regionalization of EMS after the township council moved forward with a Declaration of Disaster Emergency regarding the upcoming loss of Crozer Health ambulances.
At a recent township council meeting, members approved a Declaration of Disaster Emergency in response to what they described as the imminent or sudden loss of Crozer as the township’s EMS provider, the Delaware County Daily Times reported.
Interim Fire Chief Brian Boyce told the council that if Crozer survives as a healthcare provider, it is unlikely the township will continue receiving EMS at the current free or low-cost rate. Instead, Upper Darby will likely need to absorb the financial burden of providing these critical services, according to the Delaware County Daily Times.
Boyce also noted that municipal and county officials have been meeting regularly to address the potential EMS gap. Township managers across the region are reportedly working on a collaborative framework for regionalized emergency response services, should Crozer no longer be able to serve the community, the Delaware County Daily Times reported.
“Seventeen municipalities across Delaware County get their total (EMS) service from Crozer,” Boyce said. “The township is going to have to adopt financial responsibility.”
Boyce said regionalizing EMS would help distribute costs fairly by analyzing data across communities. One proposed solution includes community paramedics visiting frequent EMS users at home to reduce unnecessary hospital trips.
Currently, EMS can only bill insurance if a patient is transported. A proposed state law would allow billing for non-transport services, helping cover more proactive care. Boyce added that while EMS has long faced challenges, the Crozer crisis has brought the system to a breaking point.
