Legislation and Funding
Legislation and funding issues always affect EMS budgets and operations. Use this topic to find out how the latest economic news is affecting EMS.
NEMSIS-TAC and PWW produce definitive guidance on HIPAA – essential to aid the progression of MIH
Will the COVID-19 pandemic accelerate the move to doing away with psychomotor exams in favor of a skills portfolio?
Pinnacle 2020 Quick Take: Washington Update – The CARES Act 2.0; what the election will mean for EMS
A policy and regulation expert shares insights on the next wave of coronavirus relief funding, and the future of ET3 and telehealth
Paramedics are planning a protest, saying the amendments, such as moving toward fire-based EMS, are “happening without regulatory and managerial oversight”
The proposal would eliminate a portion of student loans in an effort to attract more people to volunteer
Surviving families of first responders who recently committed suicide sought support for a bill that would require insurance to cover PTSD treatment
The bill would change how the money is distributed for 911 emergency services
The president gave his third-quarter salary to the Department of Health and Human Services to help “drive action” in the fight against opioids
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that Kellyanne Conway will coordinate the government’s response to the opioid epidemic
Governor Scott Walker signed a bill allowing EMS providers to make non-emergency house calls in order to cut down on health care costs
La Vernia EMS was the first on the scene of the Sutherland Springs shooting, but now they are closed after losing their annual $26,500 from the county
“What if you have a call and the ambulance has to try and find your house ... for an emergency reason, a heart attack or something?” Councilman Dino Loprieto said
Sen. Bill Nelson introduced legislation to modernize 911 systems by accelerating federal efforts to upgrade that crucial public safety infrastructure
The amount was more than six times higher than previous studies, accounting for around 2.8 percent of gross domestic product
The rule says that doctors who exceed a new state dosage limit for more than half their patients would receive warnings
Rockland Paramedic Services will use the money to train paramedics in order to expand their role to post-hospital visits
Three years ago, a drunk driver hit an Allina Health ambulance head-on, seriously injuring two EMS providers and a patient on board
Cardinal Health’s Opioid Action Program will include giving 80,000 doses of naloxone to first responders and increasing support for drug-disposal and education
The study found that a monthly shot works as well as a daily drug to prevent relapse
Fire Chief Shauwn Howell said he thought the extra pay for being EMT certified would decrease the amount of firefighters leaving for other agencies
David Knight was arrested after an investigation that was sparked when Hamlet Rescue and Emergency Medical Services noticed “some discrepancies” in their finances
The health advisory board said emergency consumers “are not able to make an informed decision or negotiate ... about the cost of the transport”
Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz is speaking out after an attempt to file criminal charges against a suspect caught with carfentanil was denied
Officials are looking at an alternative response model where non-emergency patients could take an Uber to an urgent care facility and get reimbursed by insurers
Proposition 6 would provide tax breaks for spouses of responders killed in the line of duty, but it only applies if they are not remarried
The panel recommended training doctors who prescribe opioids and allowing more emergency responders to administer overdose reversal drugs
Complaints from patients prompted responders to discuss possible compromises with insurers in cases where they don’t cover the cost
FEMA Administrator Brock Long said recovering from the recent spate of disasters will be tremendously expensive
Governor Nathan Deal signed an executive order to create a statewide 911 agency after it was revealed they had no group to oversee the services
The IAFC will continue to offer essential training for volunteer and remote responders to ensure they can manage rail incidents effectively
The bill would add fentanyl analogs to the synthetic opiates category of controlled substances, making it easier for prosecutors to go after manufacturers
The President’s declaration of a “National Public Health Emergency” falls well short of tackling the scourge of opioid overdose deaths
“This epidemic is a national health emergency,” Trump said in a speech as he bemoaned a crisis he said had spared no segment of American society
