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NHTSA Request for Information: Emergency Medical Services Education Agenda 2050

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

From Regulations.Gov

NHTSA published a request for information on October 13, 2023, seeking comments from all sources (public, private, government, academic, professional, public interest groups, and other interested parties) on the planned re-envisioning of the 2000 EMS Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach. Due to the limited comments received and some informal feedback indicating that the initial comment period was too short, NHTSA is announcing the reopening of the comment period for the RFI in order to solicit additional comments and request responses to specific questions provided in the document. The comment period for the RFI was originally scheduled to end on October 31, 2023. It will now be reopened and will end on March 31, 2024.

Dates

The comment period for the RFI published on October 13, 2023 at 88 FR 71081 is reopened and extended to March 31, 2024.

For Further Information Contact

Clary Mole, EMS Specialist, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation is available by phone at (202) 868–3275 or by email at Clary.Mole@dot.gov.

Addresses

Comments must be submitted by one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.

• Mail: Docket Management Facility, M–30, U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building, Ground Floor, Rm. W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

• Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 366–9322 before coming.

Regardless of how you submit your comments, you must include the docket number identified in the heading of this document.

Note that all comments received, including any personal information provided, will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov. Please see the “Privacy Act” heading below.

You may call the Docket Management Facility at (202) 366–9322. For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the street address listed above. We will continue to file relevant information in the docket as it becomes available. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 366–9322 before coming. We will continue to file relevant information in the Docket as it becomes available.

Privacy Act: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to inform its decision-making process. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information the commenter provides, to http://www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT’s complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 ( 65 FR 19477–78 ).

Supplementary Information

On October 13, 2023, NHTSA published a RFI to obtain public comments to inform EMS Education Agenda 2050, and request responses to specific questions provided in this document. For convenience purposes, NHTSA is republishing introductory information, background materials and questions from its RFI in this notice.

I. Introductory Information

In 2012, the National EMS Advisory Council (NEMSAC) convened a national roundtable meeting on EMS Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach. In a 2014 report on these proceedings, NEMSAC advised that stakeholders at the State and local level had just begun to experience the full impact of the evolution toward a national integrated system of education for EMS personnel. While stakeholders were reticent to move forward with a new education agenda, they did provide feedback about themes that should be considered in the future publication. From the feedback collected at the meeting, NEMSAC developed recommendations to be used in the eventual re-envision of the agenda for EMS. These recommendations are summarized below:

  • Educational content should retain the flexibility accorded by the National EMS Education standards, but programs should use nationally recognized evidence-based guidelines to drive local curriculum development.
  • The National EMS Information System data, evidence-based research, and practice analyses should be sourced in developing evidence-based guidelines and curriculum.

• Mobile Integrated Healthcare has received considerable attention from the EMS Community. This and other alternative community-based healthcare delivery models (of the future) should evoke an expanded foundational knowledge and critical thinking capabilities that will poise future EMS practitioners to be able to evolve with the changing healthcare system or rapidly adjust to emerging healthcare crises.

  • EMS educators should begin a career in academia with expertise in adult learning, educational theory, curriculum development, and competency evaluation but also possess experiential knowledge in evidence-based care.

In the 10 years since NEMSAC’s roundtable meeting, the national EMS education system continued to evolve—especially during the COVID–19 pandemic. In late 2021, the Federal Interagency Committee on EMS (FICEMS) began sponsoring listening sessions to inform a consensus-driven, national report entitled, FICEMS: EMS and 911 COVID–19 Response White Paper. This publication cited challenges and solutions collected during stakeholder listening sessions for the EMS education system. Among the challenges, EMS education stakeholders cited scarcity (in some cases deficits) in resources for education, rigidity of curriculum delivery modalities, the increased employer demands on students, and inconsistent or delayed responses to the needs of the national EMS education system as major contributors that led to the breakdown in the EMS workforce pipeline.

Prior to the COVID–19 pandemic, NHTSA published EMS Agenda 2050: A People-centered Vision for the Future of EMS (Agenda 2050). This collaborative project set a vision for a people-centered EMS systems that serves every individual in every community across the Nation. Later this year, NHTSA and its partners will begin a new project to develop EMS Education Agenda 2050. This project will not replace but build upon the achievements of the 2000 EMS Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach to lead a national conversation around the future vision for EMS Education and EMS as a profession.

II. Background

NHTSA, in partnership with Health Resources and Services Administration, published EMS Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach ( Education Agenda ) in 2000. This document was founded on the broad national EMS education system concepts introduced in the EMS Agenda for the Future (1996). The Education Agenda described a consensus vision of an EMS education system with a high degree of structure, coordination, and interdependence. It proposed a less prescriptive system that offered educators flexibility in creating a student-centered learning environment and a process for accommodating future advancements in technology and medicine. The proposed system maximized efficiency, consistency in instructional quality, and entry level graduate competency by prescribing a high degree of structure, coordination, and interdependence. To achieve this vision, the education system of the future centered on five integrated primary components:

  • National EMS Core Content
  • National EMS Scope of Practice Model
  • National EMS Education Standards
  • National EMS Education Program Accreditation
  • National EMS Certification

After the Education Agenda was published, stakeholders began implementing their respective integrated system components. Almost 25 years later, the national EMS education system has successfully evolved into one that exemplifies both consistency and flexibility. System interdependencies have helped to avoid duplication of effort in curriculum and education program development, evaluating the minimum competencies of graduates, certification and licensing processes, and facilitation of practitioner reciprocity.

In 2020, the EMS education system interdependencies modernized by the Education Agenda were tested. Challenges presented by the COVID–19 pandemic forced a variety of adaptations. Traditional education programs reported a lag in students’ capabilities of achieving the programmatic competencies requirements for graduation. The lag was attributed to a variety of causes including a focus on pandemic response activities over training and education, employer demands on working students, and the rigidity of in-person, classroom-based education delivery models. After the majority of programs adjusted to the challenges, lags in graduation were cured, and students achieved programmatic competencies at rates similar to those pre-pandemic. The response to the pandemic did not impact education programs only. The impact to EMS agency daily operations was felt as well. During the COVID pandemic, agencies experienced increases in EMS activation and response rates which created additional stressors for student EMS practitioners already working in a high stress job environment but also enrolled in an EMS education program. These stressors were a major contributor to a migration of practitioners away from the EMS workforce. Agencies and organizational stakeholders asserted that it could be education program graduation requirements causing breakdown in the workforce pipeline; however, there were no observed decreases in graduation or certification testing rates. These observations prompt two questions: If graduation and certification testing rates have remained unchanged, why have agencies reported recruitment and retention issues? If graduates are not entering the EMS workforce, where are they finding jobs?

With agencies experiencing increased demand and a deficiency in qualified EMS practitioners to respond to it, service delivery models had to evolve. To bridge the gap in community-based care resources, community paramedicine and mobile integrated healthcare (CP–MIH) service delivery models increased in prevalence, and improvised training programs were used to close new job-specific competency gaps among existing EMS practitioners and individuals in training. Other themes brought to the forefront during the pandemic include addressing healthcare disparities; the use of EMS data as a tool for surveillance and nationwide quality of care improvements; and a greater value to having an EMS workforce that is not only equitable, inclusive, and accessible, but as diverse as the community it serves. These themes, evolving service delivery models, and the subsequent evolution of competencies needed by practitioners suggest that it is time for NHTSA to gather our partners to begin a new conversation about the future of EMS Education and EMS as a profession in the United States.

III. Questions Regarding EMS Education Agenda 2050

Responses to the following questions are requested to help plan the revision of the Education Agenda. Please be as specific as possible and as appropriate please provide references.

1. What are the most critical issues facing EMS education system that should be addressed in the revision of the EMS Education Agenda ? Please provide specific examples.

2. What progress has been made in implementing the EMS Education Agenda since 2000?

3. How have you used EMS Education Agenda ? Please provide specific examples.

4. As an EMS Stakeholder, how might a revised EMS Education Agenda be most useful to you?

5. What significant changes have occurred in the EMS education system at the national, Federal, State, and local levels since 2000?

6. What significant changes will impact the EMS education system in the next 25 years?

7. How might the revised EMS Education Agenda contribute to enhanced EMS for children?

8. How might the revised EMS Education Agenda support and/or promote data-driven and evidence-based improvements in EMS education systems and EMS practitioner practice?

9. How could the revised EMS Education Agenda enhance collaboration among EMS systems, health care providers and facilities, public safety answering points, public health, public safety, emergency management, insurers, and others?

10. How could the revised EMS Education Agenda be used to promote community sustainability and resilience?

11. How could the revised EMS Education Agenda contribute to improved coordination for disaster response, recovery, preparedness, and mitigation?

12. How could the revised EMS Education Agenda enhance the exchange of evidence-based practices between national, Federal (and military), State, and local levels?

13. How could the revised EMS Education Agenda support the seamless and unimpeded transfer of military EMS personnel to roles as civilian EMS providers?

14. How could the revised EMS Education Agenda support interstate credentialing of EMS personnel?

15. How could the revised EMS Education Agenda support improved patient outcomes in rural and frontier communities?

16. How could the revised EMS Education Agenda lead to improved EMS systems in tribal communities?

17. How could the revised EMS Education Agenda promote a culture of safety among EMS personnel, agencies, and organizations?

18. Are there additional EMS attributes that should be included in the revised EMS Education Agenda ? If so, please provide an explanation for why these additional EMS attributes should be included.

19. Are there EMS attributes in the 2000 EMS Education Agenda that should be eliminated from the revised edition? If so, please provide an explanation for why these EMS attributes should be eliminated.

20. What are your suggestions for the process that should be used in revising the EMS Education Agenda ?

21. What specific agencies/organizations/entities are essential to involve, in a revision of the EMS Education Agenda ?

22. Do you have any additional comments regarding the revision of the EMS Education Agenda ?

(Authority: 23 U.S.C. 403(b)(1)(A)(iv); 49 CFR 1.95; 501.8)

Issued in Washington, DC.

Nanda Narayanan Srinivasan,
Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 2023–25551 Filed 11–17–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB) Public Meeting on November 30, 2023

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

The next public meeting of the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB) will be held virtually on Thursday, November 30, 2023, from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. ET.  Advanced registration is required.  To register for the webinar and for additional meeting information, visit the NBSB public meeting page.  We encourage you to share this engagement opportunity broadly across your network.

The NBSB will discuss and vote on two set of recommendations related to COVID-19 pandemic lessons; Project NextGen vaccine and therapeutic products, priorities for future medical countermeasure attributes as requested by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority; and disaster preparedness training.  Drafts of the recommendations for public review will be on the NBSB webpage as soon as they are available.

Anyone may submit questions or comments to the board members by email to (NBSB@hhs.gov) ahead of the meeting.  If time allows, the NBSB board members will address as many written comments as possible.  Requests to speak during the public meeting should be sent to (NBSB@hhs.gov) by 5:00pm ET on November 23, 2023.  Please provide the speaker’s full name, organization, and a full explanation of the intended topic.  Presentations that contain material with a commercial bias, advertising, marketing, or solicitations will not be allowed.  All meeting materials will be made publicly available on the NBSB public meeting page.  For additional information or questions about this event, please contact (NBSB@hhs.gov).

American Sign Language translation and Communication Access Real-Time Translation will be provided during the meeting.

EMS.gov | Input Requested: EMS Education Agenda 2050

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

EMS News

Input Requested: EMS Education Agenda 2050

NHTSA plans community-lead revision of 1996 Education Agenda, tackling education to clinicians
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking public comment regarding the upcoming revision of the 2000 EMS Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach. This new effort will apply the concepts of the EMS Agenda 2050 to EMS Education and the profession’s standing in the U.S. The output of this community effort will be EMS Education Agenda 2050, setting the path for the development of “EMS clinicians of the future” as identified in the EMS Agenda 2050.

Responses from the EMS community to specific questions provided are essential to create a successful framework for this revision.

Provide Comments

NHTSA encourages insights from a diverse range of sources, including but not limited to the public, private sectors, government agencies, academia, and other stakeholders. The primary focus of this initiative is to gauge the progression of the integrated national education system for EMS personnel over the decades. Input from the EMS community is crucial to this endeavor.

Comments may be submitted here through March 31, 2024. For further information, contact Clary Mole, EMS Specialist at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at Clary.Mole@dot.gov.

Sign up to receive the latest news from the Office of EMS, including webinars, newsletters and industry updates.

Contact Us

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
nhtsa.ems@dot.gov

 

                       ems.gov

 nhtsa dot

Register Now: FICEMS Meeting on December 6

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

Federal Interagency Committee on EMS to
Hold Virtual Meeting on December 6

 Advanced public comment period open until Wednesday, November 29
The Federal Interagency Committee on EMS (FICEMS) was established by Congress in 2005 to ensure coordination among Federal agencies supporting local, regional, state, tribal, and territorial EMS and 911 systems. FICEMS provides a forum for Federal agencies and staff to collaborate to improve EMS delivery across the nation.

FICEMS will host a virtual meeting Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at 1 pm ET.

Register Now

Updates will be provided by FICEMS agency representative members, NEMSAC and subgroups of the Technical Working Group, and NHTSA’s Office of EMS will share the status of projects, including:

  • National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS)
  • EMS Data Summit 2.0 & National EMS Information System (NEMSIS)
  • National 911 Program
  • First Responder Mental Health & Wellness

Guest Presentations include:

  • Longitudinal Inquiry of Fire & EMS (LIFE) Health Study with Ashish R. Panchal, MD, PhD, NREMT
  • System Assessment & Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) Program with Norm Kaufmann, Program Manager, DHS
  • Radiological/Nuclear Response & Recovery (RNRR) Program with Eliot Calhoun, Program Manager, DHS

Members of the public are invited to provide advanced public comment by emailing FICEMS@dot.gov with “FICEMS Feedback” in the subject line by Wednesday, November 29 at 12 pm ET. There will also be opportunities for the public to ask questions or submit comments through the webcast live chat feature.

NHTSA is committed to providing equal access to this meeting for all program participants. Persons with disabilities in need of accommodation should send their request to Clary Mole by phone at (202) 868-3275 or by email to Clary.Mole@dot.gov no later than by Wednesday, November 29 at 12 pm ET. A sign language interpreter and closed captioning services can be provided through the Zoom meeting platform upon request.

Sign up to receive the latest news from the Office of EMS, including webinars, newsletters and industry updates.

Contact Us

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
nhtsa.ems@dot.gov

Crash Responder Safety Week, November 13–17, 2023

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

EMS News

Take Part in Crash Responder Safety Week, November 13–17, 2023
Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW) takes place November 13 –17, 2023. Emergency medical services (EMS) and other emergency responders provide care and support to those injured on our roadways due to a crash. These traffic incident responders put their lives at risk when clearing each of the nearly 7 million annual motor vehicle crashes or the broader range of incidents such as stalled vehicles or roadway debris. EMS provides clinical care at 1.5 million of those crashes according to National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) data.

This year’s focus is “Protect Those Who Protect You,” emphasizing the public’s role in keeping responders safe while responders improve the safety for all road users. This recognition effort will honor responders, provide an overview of activities taking place across the country and connect all responder stakeholders to kickoff this important week.

According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Traffic Incident Management (TIM) program, a traffic incident responder is struck and killed nearly every week, and many more traffic incident responders sustain life-altering injuries. When a traffic incident responder or a response vehicle is struck, the impacts are far reaching — putting a greater long-term strain on limited resources that service the broad community needs.

Your Role in Crash Responder Safety Week:

  • Encourage traffic incident responders in your community to take the free, 4-hour National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder training available online through the National Highway Institute or in person through TIM Coordinators within each State. Nearly 700,000 responders have completed this training to date.
  • Make an extra effort this week to increase public education activities to inform drivers about your State’s Slow Down, Move Over law, which requires drivers to slow down, and, if possible, to move over when approaching incident response vehicles such as ambulances, fire engines, tow trucks, safety service patrols and municipal or utility vehicles.
  • Public safety and EMS agencies are encouraged to attend the webinar and customize these promotional materials for each day’s theme and share them widely to increase awareness and promote safety on the road.
Register for the Webinar

Sign up to receive the latest news from the Office of EMS, including webinars, newsletters and industry updates.

Contact Us

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
nhtsa.ems@dot.gov

FICEMS DEIA Statement Now Available

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

Highlighting Key Commitments to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility
With this reinforced dedication, FICEMS can better achieve and enhance the EMS mission for all persons. FICEMS’ newly released Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) document serves not only as a declaration of FICEMS’ core values but also as a foundational roadmap for agencies looking to improve their emergency medical services.

The EMS Agenda 2050 outlines a socially equitable EMS system that ensures quality and accessible care for all, irrespective of any social determinants. Achieving this vision requires a collective and sustained effort. The DEIA statement from FICEMS marks a significant step in this direction, underlining the organization’s firm commitment to a diverse and inclusive EMS landscape.

Agencies are encouraged to review the new DEIA statement as a guiding resource for aligning their practices with these crucial principles.

Read the FICEMS DEIA Statement

For more information on the work FICEMS is doing to support federal collaboration in an effort to improve EMS across the nation, visit the FICEMS resources page on ems.gov.

Prehospital Blood Transfusion Initiative

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Operations, Patient Care, Regulatory.

Press Release from the Prehospital Blood Transfusion Initiative Coalition

PREHOSPITAL BLOOD TRANSFUSION INITIATIVE COALITION BEING FORMED

Contact:

Bill Skillman
bskillman@veli.co
781 315 7537

In cities, towns and rural communities across the US people are dying unnecessarily from severe bleeding arising from limited supply of blood products and lack of blood transfusions after injury or other causes of hemorrhagic shock. Bleeding to death from uncontrolled hemorrhage remains the leading cause of preventable deaths among victims of trauma with nearly half of these patients dying in the prehospital setting.  Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, blood products are not available on emergency medical response vehicles because of reimbursement limitations and local regulations which vary by state.

The Prehospital Blood Transfusion Initiative Coalition (PHBTIC) is being established to address these problems. “A growing number of ground and air medical EMS programs have successfully initiated blood programs in recent years, but more needs to be done to ensure patients in the U.S. who need prehospital transfusion are able to receive it, regardless of where they live” notes John Holcomb, MD, Professor of Surgery at University of Alabama at Birmingham, an internationally renowned trauma surgeon and expert on civilian and military hemorrhage control and resuscitation.  The Coalition, led by a steering committee, is building a multi-disciplinary, collaborative initiative to advance four pillars of focused activity to promote prehospital blood transfusion programs:

  • Establish reimbursement for blood products transfused in the prehospital setting.
  • EMS scope-of-practice allowing the initiation of prehospital blood products in states where it currently is not allowed.
  • Strategic preparedness for homeland defense and mass casualties.
  • Outreach and education, including regulatory, protocols, and best practices for programs based on experiences of agencies currently conducting programs.

“Our group represents a diverse community of prehospital and hospital-based medical professionals, as well as industry, blood collection, and government partners, whose focus is on improving outcomes of all patients suffering hemorrhagic shock in a data-driven fashion” say Eric Bank, LP, NRP, Assistant Chief of EMS HCESD 48 Fire-EMS and Randi Schaefer, DNP, RN, Clinical Consultant and Scientific Advisor.

The Steering Committee has already reached out to national stakeholder organizations in the EMS, trauma, blood and industry communities and are soliciting others with an interest in ensuring blood products are available in all emergency settings to join the Coalition. They will be scheduling an initial meeting of the Coalition in the coming weeks. Those interested are encouraged to contact Jon R Krohmer, MD at jrkrohmer@gmail.com

Visit Website

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GAPBAC | Follow Up from Committee Meeting #2

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Advocacy Priorities, Executive, Government Affairs, Private Insurance, Regulatory.

Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing (GAPB) Advisory Committee Public Meeting #2 (August 16, 2023)

The Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing (GAPB) Advisory Committee Second Public Meeting was held on August 16, 2023. Materials for this meeting are available for download on the CMS.gov GAPB website.

As we continue this webinar series, we look to you as industry experts to provide feedback and recommend information that would be beneficial in future webinars. Written public comments for consideration by the Advisory Committee may be emailed to:  GAPBAdvisoryCommittee@cms.hhs.gov .

Public comments on the specific topics listed in the GAPB Advisory Committee Public Meeting #2 Agenda, should be submitted by September 5, 2023 for consideration by the GAPB Advisory Committee.

 

NEMSAC | Meeting August 9-10

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

 

EMS News

Register Now: National EMS Advisory Council Meeting August 9-10
The National EMS Advisory Council (NEMSAC) will host a hybrid meeting on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at 1:00 pm ET, and Thursday, August 10, 2023, at 12:00 pm ET. The meeting will highlight EMS program updates, share new initiatives and innovations and provide an opportunity for facilitated discussion and public comment. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the meeting virtually.

Location:
Yours Truly Hotel DC
1143 New Hampshire Ave NW,
Washington, DC 20037
Virtual webcast available

Register Now

Items on the agenda include:

  • Updates from OEMS and FICEMS Chairperson
  • NRSS and Post-Crash Care update
  • Subcommittee reports on advisories in progress, including:
    • Adaptability and innovation
    • Equitable patient care
    • Preparedness and education
    • Professional safety
    • Sustainability and efficiency
    • Integration and technology
    • Ambulance crashes
  • Guest Presentations
    • Day 1: Prehospital Blood Transfusion Initiative with Jon Krohmer, MD
    • Day 2: Medical Countermeasures for First Responders with Judith Laney, PhD

Registrants who wish to address the Council during the public comment periods can submit comments in writing to NHTSA.NEMSAC@dot.gov by August 5, 2023. Questions and comments for the Council may also be presented using the live chat feature.

About NEMSAC

NEMSAC meets several times a year to discuss concerns facing the EMS community. Members of NEMSAC provide counsel and recommendations regarding EMS to the Federal Interagency Committee on EMS (FICEMS) and the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

NHTSA is committed to providing equal access to this meeting for all program participants. Persons with disabilities in need of accommodation should send their request to Clary Mole by phone at (202) 868-3275 or by email to Clary.Mole@dot.gov no later than July 27, 2023. A sign language interpreter and closed captioning services can be provided through the Zoom meeting platform upon request.

Sign up to receive the latest news from the Office of EMS, including webinars, newsletters and industry updates.

Contact Us

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
nhtsa.ems@dot.gov

 

AAA Encourages CMS to Consider Revised Innovation Model for Treatment in Place

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

Washington, DC— While the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has decided to end the Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model two years early on December 31, 2023, the American Ambulance Association (AAA) remains committed to working with CMS on all future efforts to design programs that fully utilize the ground ambulance services in the delivery of mobile healthcare services. CMS made the decision to end the model “due to lower than expected participation and lower than projected interventions.”

The AAA is encouraged that CMS has stated that, “the lessons learned from the ET3 Model can aid in the development of potential future initiatives.”  Our members are committed to supporting such future efforts to make sure that the requirements support true treatment in place and recognize the unique needs of rural ground ambulance services and the communities they serve.  Moreover, we encourage CMS to work with the AAA to move forward with alternative destination as a permanent policy based not only on the lessons learned from the ET3 model, but also those garnered as a result of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) waiver. The AAA continues to support efforts to refine the Medicare ground ambulance emergency benefit to support delivering pre-hospital services to the patients who need them at the time they need them and where they need them.

7/27 CMS Ambulance Open Door Forum

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

From CMS on July 19, 2023

CMS Open Door Forum

The next CMS Ambulance Open Door Forum scheduled for:

Date:  Thursday, July 27, 2023

Start Time:  2:00pm-3:00pm PM Eastern Time (ET);

Please dial-in at least 15 minutes before call start time.

Conference Leaders: Jill Darling, Maria Durham 

**This Agenda is Subject to Change**

  1. Opening Remarks

Chair- Maria Durham, Director, Division of Data Analysis and Market Based Pricing

Moderator – Jill Darling (Office of Communications)

Announcements & Updates

  1. Ground Ambulance & Patient Billing Advisory Committee Meeting Announcement
  2. Update on Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model
  3. Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS): Proposed Changes in the CY 2024 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
    1. Slide presentation will be available at: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/ambulance-fee-schedule-zip-code-files/ambulance-events
  4. Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023:  Division FF, section 4103: Extension of Add-On Payments for Ambulance Services

III. Open Q&A

**DATE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE**

Next Ambulance Open Door Forum: TBA

ODF email: AMBULANCEODF@cms.hhs.gov

———————————————————————

This Open Door Forum is open to everyone, but if you are a member of the Press, you may listen in but please refrain from asking questions during the Q & A portion of the call. If you have inquiries, please contact CMS at Press@cms.hhs.gov. Thank you.

NEW and UPDATED Open Door Forum Participation Instructions:

This call will be a Zoom webinar with registration and login instructions below.

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://cms.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_Sq7TP07ESqiGuvE0M00xIg

Webinar ID: 161 099 7532

Passcode: 131371

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. You may also add the webinar to your calendar using the drop-down arrow on the “Webinar Registration Approved” webpage after registering. Although the ODFs are now a Zoom webinar, we will only use the audio function, no need for cameras to be on.

For ODF schedule updates and E-Mailing List registration, visit our website at http://www.cms.gov/OpenDoorForums/.

Were you unable to attend the recent Ambulance ODF call? We encourage you to visit our CMS Podcasts and Transcript webpage where you can listen and view the most recent Ambulance ODF call. The webinar recording and transcript will be posted to: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/OpenDoorForums/PodcastAndTranscripts.html.

CMS provides free auxiliary aids and services including information in accessible formats. Click here for more information. This will point partners to our CMS.gov version of the “Accessibility & Nondiscrimination notice” page. Thank you.

CMS Open Door Forum Footer

CMS | Updates to Coverage for COVID-19 Tests

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency is to end on May 11, 2023. The ending of the Public Health Emergency may impact an individual’s coverage of COVID-19 tests. We encourage you to know these changes and share the New Consumer Fact Sheet on COVID-19 tests.

Consumer Fact Sheets:

Before May 11, 2023

If you have any type of health insurance, you can get up to eight over-the-counter tests per month with no out-of-pocket costs. Over-the-counter tests are available in most pharmacies and may also be available online for delivery.

After May 11, 2023

Laboratory tests for COVID-19 that are ordered by your provider will still be covered with no out-of-pocket costs for people with Medicare. Over-the-counter tests will still be available, but there may be out-of-pocket costs. Coverage of over-the-counter tests may vary by your insurance type, as described below.

What does this mean for Medicare Beneficiaries?

Generally, Medicare doesn’t cover or pay for over-the counter products. The demonstration that has allowed us to offer coverage for COVID-19 over-the-counter tests at no cost ends on May 11, 2023.

However, if you are enrolled in Medicare Part B, you will continue to have coverage with no out-of-pocket costs for appropriate laboratory-based COVID-19 PCR and antigen tests, when a provider orders them (such as drive-through PCR and antigen testing or testing in a provider’s office).

If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you may have more access to tests depending on your benefits. Check with your plan.

What does this mean for people with Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program?

If you have coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, you will have access to COVID-19 over-the-counter and laboratory testing through September 30, 2024. After that date, coverage of testing may vary by state.

What does this mean for people with Private Insurance?

If you have private insurance, coverage will vary depending on your health plan. However, private plans won’t be required by federal law to cover over-the counter and laboratory-based COVID-19 tests after

May 11, 2023. If your insurance chooses to cover COVID-19 testing, they may require cost sharing, prior authorization, or other forms of medical management.

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