Happy 2021, EMS!

Happy New Year, EMS! No matter how big the challenge, mobile healthcare NEVER gives up on our communities. Paramedics, EMTs, and Dispatchers have been a ray of hope in the #COVID19 pandemic. Thanks for showing us all what CARING really means.

Happy New Year, #EMS! No matter how big the challenge, #mobilehealthcare NEVER gives up on our communities. #Paramedics,…

Posted by American Ambulance Association on Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Congress Passes $900 Billion Stimulus Package with Ambulance Relief

Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives followed soon after by the United States Senate passed an approximately $900 billion legislative package to provide additional economic relief to businesses and individuals struggling from the COVID-19 pandemic. The package also contained numerous unrelated policy changes with several provisions on interest to ground ambulance service organizations. The AAA is currently analyzing the legislative text of the massive 3,000 plus page package and will provide members with the final analysis. In the meantime, below are some highlights.

Sequestration Delay

Sequestration, which reduces Medicare reimbursement by 2% for Medicare providers and suppliers, is suspended through March 31, 2021.

Provider Relief Fund

An additional $3 billion is added to the Provider Relief Fund administered by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Balance Billing

Health care providers will no longer be able to balance bill patients with private insurance. Rates will be determined through an arbitration process. The restrictions do not apply to ground ambulance services. The AAA along with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Firefighters and National Association of EMTs successfully educated lawmakers about the oversight role of local governments in 911 EMS systems. The legislation instead establishes an Advisory Committee on Ground Ambulance Billing which will issue a report to Congress on its findings. The AAA will be pushing for representatives of the AAA to be on the Committee.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

Another round of $284 billion in PPP funding is made available to small businesses hit especially hard by the pandemic. Businesses must employ 300 or fewer employees and report losses of 25% or more in order to qualify. For ground ambulance service organizations which receive PPP funds under the past round or the current one, expenses covered by forgiven funds will now be deductible.

 

Today’s AAA webinar, “Wrapping Up a Year for the Record Books”, will include an overview of the stimulus package. This webinar is free for AAA members. Register Here!

AAA E-Books Are Now Free to Members!


Did you know? All American Ambulance Association PDF E-Books are now free to members! This $1000+ value is yet another way that AAA is delivering value through membership.

Download E-Books Now!

Please note that you must be logged in using your member account in order to see the $0.00 member e-book pricing. The link to download your e-book will be delivered in your email order confirmation.
Not yet a member? Join today to gain access!

2020 Member Yearbook | Vendors & State Associations

The American Ambulance Association is creating a “yearbook” for 2020 to highlight EMS’s incredible response to the pandemic, wildfires, hurricanes, civil unrest, opioids, and more. We would also love to feature our vendor members and state ambulance associations as we know you are critical to the success of mobile healthcare.

To participate, please complete the short form below!

Please submit your responses by October 31, 2020. One hardcopy book will be mailed to the primary address of each member organization in early February 2021. Organizations that do not submit data will be listed as members, but not featured. All fields are required. Please proofread carefully!

AMBULANCE SERVICE MEMBERS, please complete this form instead!

2020 Member Yearbook | Ambulance Services

Help AAA tell the story of EMS in 2020… in YOUR words and about YOUR community!

2020 has challenged every EMS provider in the country in myriad ways—pandemic, wildfires, hurricanes, civil unrest, opioids, and more. Please take a moment to share with the American Ambulance Association details and photos about YOUR service for inclusion in a virtual and hardcopy yearbook that will be produced in January 2021. The yearbook will highlight the extraordinary contributions of mobile healthcare providers across the country.

Member organizations, please submit your responses by October 31, 2020. One hardcopy book will be mailed to the primary address of each member organization in early February 2021. Organizations that do not submit data will be listed as members, but not featured. All fields are required. Please proofread carefully!

New Benefit | Credit Card Fee Class Action Settlement

Dear AAA Members:

As you may know, there is a class action lawsuit pending in the U.S. alleging Visa, MasterCard and their member banks engaged in anticompetitive practices. The case, Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement, alleges activity that includes collusion which artificially inflated the interchange fee that all AAA members paid to accept Visa and MasterCard branded credit cards. The proposed settlement provides that any merchant that accepted Visa and MasterCard credit cards at any time between January 1, 2004 and January 25, 2019 will be entitled to participate in the $5.54 billion-dollar settlement

Sign Up Now

Class Action Refund has over 17 years of experience in managing complex claims and is an innovator of a niche service that specializes in the recovery of antitrust settlements for businesses, which includes large organizations like the AAA. Class Action Refund can ease the burden of self-filing. The life cycle of a claim can take several years to settle and may require various types of documentation and correspondence with the claims administrator in order to substantiate the claim. Class Action Refund will manage the entire filing process and inform you of milestones as necessary, so that you may stay focused on your core business. Additionally, there are NO OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS TO AAA MEMBERS. Class Action Refund will reduce its normal 33% contingency fee of funds recovered to 25% for AAA members.  If no recovery is made, then no fee is charged.

Any member interested in availing themselves of Class Action Refund’s recovery management services, for the Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement can quickly and easily sign up below!

Sign Up Now

Mr. Hugh Bellingreri, Senior Account Manager, is the contact person for members. Please call Hugh directly at 914-630-5116, or you can reach him by email at hbellingreri@classactionrefund.com with any questions. 

Sign Up Now

Disclaimer: No claim forms are available at this time, and no claim-filing deadline exists. No-cost assistance will be available from the Class Administrator and Class Counsel during any claims-filing period. No one is required to sign up with any third-party service in order to participate in any settlement. For additional information regarding the status of the litigation, interested persons may visit www.paymentcardsettlement.com, the Court-approved website for this case.

House Passes PPP Extension

On July 1, The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill to extend the deadline to apply for forgivable small business loans through the Paycheck Protection Program. The legislation was previously passed by the Senate and President Trump is expected to sign the bill into law.

The bill extends the deadline to request Paycheck Protection Program loans to August 8 from June 30. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which oversees the program with the Treasury Department, stopped accepting loan applications at midnight Tuesday. The extension is intended to provide more time for small businesses to apply for the approximately $129 billion in PPP funding remaining.

The program provides forgivable loans that small businesses and other qualifying entities can use to cover payroll and other select costs.

The AAA will continue to press the Congress and federal agencies for help to ensure ambulance service organizations and our paramedics and EMTs serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic have the necessary resources and financial assistance to serve their communities.

Government Affairs Update: What We’re Working On

With the U.S. Senate on track to consider a fourth economic stimulus package before their August recess, the AAA is working hard to promote legislative language that positively impact the EMS industry and ambulance services across the country. Here is a snapshot of those current efforts.

Ambulance Funding in Response to COVID-19

As the Senate develops its next economic stimulus legislation to address the impact of COVID-19, the AAA has met with leaders and staff on Capitol Hill to increase the percentage of the general allocation of funds under the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF) for ground ambulance services providers and suppliers to equal a total of $2.89 billion in funds for our industry. The $2.89 billion reflects $48,000 per ambulance with an estimated 60,000 registered vehicles. We greatly appreciate the recent payments under the Fund which will help with our current situation. However, the ground ambulance services industry is only 0.90% of Medicare fee-for-service annual outlays which resulted in $270 million for our industry in round one of PHSSEF payments. This figure is disproportional to the large role of ground ambulance service providers and suppliers in responding to COVID-19 and our increased costs and reduced revenues during the public health emergency (PHE).

The AAA has highlighted the increased costs, uncompensated care and lost revenue related to COVID-19 and hope to see ambulance-specific funding in the Senate’s 4th stimulus package.

Expand Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB)

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the AAA has advocated to add COVID-19 as an infectious disease under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefit (PSOB) and extend coverage during the pandemic to paramedics and EMTs employed by a private ambulance service who die from COVID-19.

On April 9, the AAA and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr requesting the Department of Justice extend coverage under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program to all paramedics and EMTs during the COVID-19 national health emergency.

On May 22, the AAA received a written response from the DOJ denying any expansion of the PSOB program stating that paramedics and emergency medical technicians employed by private for-profit EMS agencies do not meet the definition of “public safety officers” for purposes of PSOB eligibility.

To push for a legislative fix, AAA Staff and consultants have continued to advocate that all paramedics and EMTs be covered by the program regardless of their employer.

Expansion of Treatment in Place

The AAA has sent several letters asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reimburse ground ambulance service providers and suppliers for performing protocol-driven treatments in place during the PHE.

This coverage will help limit the spread of COVID-19 by keeping patients with mild cases of COVID-19 at home and out of overcrowded hospitals or other facilities where they could expose others to the virus. With mostly positive response on our proposed regulatory fixes, the AAA will continue to follow up and address any roadblocks to full coverage of Treatment in Place.

Allow Private For-Profit EMS Providers to Apply Directly for FEMA Grants

The AAA has long advocated to allow private for-profit EMS agencies to apply directly to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Public Assistance program grants during the PHE and waive the matching requirement for emergency response providers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more necessary than ever that EMS agencies receive the funding the deserve for their role in the COVID-19 response. This will allow all EMS agencies to apply for financial assistance and for state and local governments to focus their limited resources on directly combating the pandemic.

We have been met with positive response from key Senators serving on Committees and Subcommittees of jurisdiction.

Other Legislation

The AAA was pleased to see the introduction of the Pandemic Responder Service Award Act (S. 3763) by Sen. Casey (D-PA) which provides front-line healthcare workers with awards up to $10,000 based on days of eligible service during the PHE. In the case of any qualified health care worker who was hospitalized or died as a result of contracting COVID–19, the award would be the full $10,000. This bill specifically includes private for-profit ambulance service providers, in a well-needed recognition of the work they provide on the frontlines of COVID-19. The AA will continue to work with Sen. Casey’s office as well as push for the inclusion of private for-profit providers in the House companion bill.

The AAA is also pleased to announce the introduction of H.R. 7292 by Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) which would provide forgiveness of certain accelerated and advanced payments under Medicare parts A and B. While the funding provided by the CARES Act was critical at keeping ambulance service providers operating, the Medicare Accelerated and Advanced Payment Program has the potential to cripple health care providers in the near future as Medicare payments are withheld until those advanced payments are repaid. H.R. 7292 would forgive the repayments and help ensure financial stability for ambulance service providers across the country.

The AAA will continue to press the Congress and federal agencies for help to ensure ambulance service organizations and our paramedics and EMTs serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic have the necessary resources and financial assistance to serve their communities.

 

AAA Membership Town Hall with Senator Bill Cassidy

Members-Only Exclusive Town Hall
Thursday, May 21, 2020 | 9:30am EST

Join U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA) for an exclusive members-only Virtual Town Hall Meeting on health care and COVID-19. Senator Cassidy will provide his perspective on the critical role of health care providers during the response to COVID-19. He will also offer insight into the direction the Senate is heading with regard to provider relief.

Senator Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA)

Dr. Bill Cassidy is the senior United States Senator for Louisiana.

Bill grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and attended Louisiana State University (LSU) for undergraduate and medical school. In 1990, Bill joined LSU Medical School teaching medical students and residents at Earl K. Long Hospital, a hospital for the uninsured.
During this time, he co-founded the Greater Baton Rouge Community Clinic, a clinic providing free dental and health care to the working uninsured. Bill also created a private-public partnership to vaccinate 36,000 greater Baton Rouge area children against Hepatitis B at no cost to the schools or parents. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Bill led a group of health care volunteers to convert an abandoned K-Mart building into an emergency health care facility, providing basic health care to hurricane evacuees.
In 2006, Bill was elected to the Louisiana State Senate.
In 2008, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives to represent Louisiana’s Sixth Congressional District.
In 2014, he was elected to the U.S. Senate. He serves on the Finance Committee, the Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and the Veterans Affairs committees.
Bill is married to Dr. Laura Cassidy and they have three children. Laura is a retired general surgeon specializing in breast cancer. She helped found a public charter school to teach children with dyslexia. Bill, Laura, and their family attend church at the Chapel on the Campus.

Auto Parts Settlement: Ends June 18!

Auto Parts Settlement Deadline Extended to June 18. Act  Now to  Ensure You Aren’t Left Out!

AAA and Class Action Refund are pleased to announce that we have partnered to assist members in the Automotive Parts Settlement. As you may know, there is a class action lawsuit pending in the U.S. alleging that dozens of parts manufacturers conspired to fix, maintain, and artificially raise the price of motor vehicle component parts. As a result of the defendants’ alleged conduct, businesses and consumers who purchased or leased new vehicles (not for resale) containing those parts or who indirectly purchased replacement parts (not for resale) from the Defendants may have paid more than they should have. The proposed settlement provides $1.2 Billion in settlement funds to purchasers and lessees for qualified vehicles from 1990 to 2019 in the qualified states below.

Arizona
Arkansas
California
District of Columbia
Florida
Hawaii
Iowa
Kansas
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan

Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina

North Dakota
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Utah
Vermont
West Virginia
Wisconsin

Class Action Refund has developed certain proprietary software that identifies the parts eligible for refund from your leased vehicle VIN numbers. They are well qualified to make sure that you obtain the maximum restitution that you are entitled to receive under the settlement. Class Action Refund has over 17 years of experience in managing complex claims, specializes in the recovery of antitrust settlements for businesses and can ease the burden of self-filing. Please understand that the life cycle of a claim can take several years to settle and may require various types of documentation and correspondence with the settlement claims administrator in order to substantiate the claim. Class Action Refund will manage the entire filing process and inform you of milestones as necessary, so that you may stay focused on your core business.

Additionally, there are NO OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS TO AAA MEMBERS. Class Action Refund will reduce its normal 33% contingency fee of funds recovered to 25% for AAA members. If no recovery is made, then no fee is charged.

Any member interested in availing themselves of Class Action Refund’s recovery management services, for the Automotive Parts Settlement can quickly and easily sign up by entering this URL into their browser: https://info.classactionrefund.com/112.

Complete the Short Sign-Up Form

Mr. Hugh Bellingreri, Account Manager, is the contact person for AAA members. Please call Hugh directly at 914-630-5116 or you can reach him by email at hbellingreri@classactionrefund.com with any questions.

COVID-19 First Responder Discounts

Please see below for some of the discounts and special offers open to EMS. AAA will add to this list as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Many of these offers require verification of employment status.

Please be sure to visit  www.shop.ID.me and SheerID for thousands of additional offers for first responders!

Restaurants & Coffee Shops

Grocery Stores & Drug Stores

  • Costco | Priority access for first responders.
  • Walgreens | 20–30% off on April 25

Hotels & Lodging

Tech & Telecom

  • AT&T FirstNet |  Public safety agencies on FirstNet can get premium FirstNet Ready™ smartphone devices for free
  • DISH TV | Discounts and first monthly movie rental free.
  • Samsung | Free repairs for Samsung phones, including cracked screens and battery replacement.
  • Samsung | Employee discount for first responders.
  • Verizon |  Assorted first responder discounts.

Clothing, Shoes, & PPE

Transportation & Fuel

  • BP  |  50 cents off per gallon with  ID.me verification.
  • Lyft Scooters | Free in select areas.

Home & Household

  • Lovesac | 40% off  through May 31
  • Blanquil  | 50% off weighted blankets
  • Purple |  10% off your order (no end date)

EMS Week Featured Service Application

EMS Week will take place from May 17–23, 2020.  To celebrate the extraordinary contributions of ambulance services to the communities they serve, we will be featuring specific services throughout EMS week on AAA’s website and social media.

If you would like to apply to have your service featured, please complete and submit all fields below by May 7. Thank you for your service to your community!

 

 

 

New Benefit: Kindercare Discount & Priority Placement

AAA understands that EMS staff often experience significant challenges securing quality, reliable childcare, and that these challenges have been exacerbated by school and daycare closures caused by COVID-19. We are here to help!

The American Ambulance Association is proud to share that we have partnered with Kindercare to offer EMS providers priority childcare placement as well as a 10% discount on tuition. Please share this information with your staff! Visit www.kindercare.com/aaa for full details.

Kindercare Locations

AAA member employee families receive priority placement at all 1600 Kindercare centers, including the 400 Essential Care Centers that remain open during the pandemic.

Childcare Services & Age Range

AAA member employees save 10% on full-time, part-time, and drop-in tuition for children ages six weeks to 12 years at any KinderCare Learning Center or Champions before- and after-school sites nationwide.

Existing  Kindercare Families

This offer is available to new families as well as those already enrolled in a participating center.

Tuition Discount Guide

  1. Search for a center or site that is near you (Search Essential Centers Open During COVID-19 | Search All Centers, Including Those Currently Closed)
  2. Schedule a tour of the center or site online or by phone with the center information provided.
  3. When you enroll (or if you’re already enrolled), let your Center Director know you are a member of American Ambulance Association and that you are eligible for a 10% tuition benefit.
  4. Your Center Director will apply the discount on your next billing cycle.

 

Auto Part Settlement: Act Now!

Auto Parts Settlement Deadline Extended. Act  Now to  Ensure You Aren’t Left Out!

AAA and Class Action Refund are pleased to announce that we have partnered to assist members in the Automotive Parts Settlement. As you may know, there is a class action lawsuit pending in the U.S. alleging that dozens of parts manufacturers conspired to fix, maintain, and artificially raise the price of motor vehicle component parts. As a result of the defendants’ alleged conduct, businesses and consumers who purchased or leased new vehicles (not for resale) containing those parts or who indirectly purchased replacement parts (not for resale) from the Defendants may have paid more than they should have. The proposed settlement provides $1.2 Billion in settlement funds to purchasers and lessees for qualified vehicles from 1990 to 2019 in the qualified states below.

Arizona
Arkansas
California
District of Columbia
Florida
Hawaii
Iowa
Kansas
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan

Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina

North Dakota
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Utah
Vermont
West Virginia
Wisconsin

Class Action Refund has developed certain proprietary software that identifies the parts eligible for refund from your leased vehicle VIN numbers. They are well qualified to make sure that you obtain the maximum restitution that you are entitled to receive under the settlement. Class Action Refund has over 17 years of experience in managing complex claims, specializes in the recovery of antitrust settlements for businesses and can ease the burden of self-filing. Please understand that the life cycle of a claim can take several years to settle and may require various types of documentation and correspondence with the settlement claims administrator in order to substantiate the claim. Class Action Refund will manage the entire filing process and inform you of milestones as necessary, so that you may stay focused on your core business.

Additionally, there are NO OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS TO AAA MEMBERS. Class Action Refund will reduce its normal 33% contingency fee of funds recovered to 25% for AAA members. If no recovery is made, then no fee is charged.

Any member interested in availing themselves of Class Action Refund’s recovery management services, for the Automotive Parts Settlement can quickly and easily sign up by entering this URL into their browser: https://info.classactionrefund.com/112.

Complete the Short Sign-Up Form

Mr. Hugh Bellingreri, Account Manager, is the contact person for AAA members. Please call Hugh directly at 914-630-5116 or you can reach him by email at hbellingreri@classactionrefund.com with any questions.

AAA/NAEMT Request PSOB Coverage for All Medics During COVID-19

On April 9, the AAA and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr requesting the Department of Justice extend coverage under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program to all paramedics and EMTs during the COVID-19 national health emergency. While paramedics and EMTs employed by governmental and non-profit EMS agencies are currently eligible for the program, those employed by private for-profit organizations and on the front lines of responding to COVID-19 pandemic are not covered. Read Letter HERE.

Savvik: Genlantis Ozilla Sterilization System

Through Savvik’s partnership with Genlantis, we are able to offer this unique unit that could be vital to your members.  This is not cheap to purchase, but if you look at the cost (and limited availability) of protection equipment this starts to make financial sense.  The base cost of the Ozilla $4,799 plus packing and freight.   The optional NEST unit runs $2,059.  With the size and weight of the shipping unit  (36x33x32) , we will need to quote the total delivered based on units and location.  The quote link is below.

Lead time is 2-3 weeks.

http://go.savvik.com/Ozilla.html

Ozone is the most powerful oxidative agent that occurs naturally. With its extra free radical oxygen molecule, ozone is able to destroy germs, viruses, and microbes that may cause surface or air contaminations. Furthermore, ozone leaves no chemical residue typical of alternative detergent or synthetic cleaners, and if handled properly, by converting ozone back to oxygen molecules, it can be one of the most effective sterilizing tools. Ozone is a powerful and natural purifier, and now with the Ozilla® Ozone Sterilizer, Genlantis has made it safer and easier than ever to use ozone gas for multiple sterilization applications.

The Genlantis Ozilla® Sterilization System is a high quality, compact and purpose-built ozone gas generator measuring 13 x 11 x 5 inches. When used properly, it is able to eliminate airborne and surface contaminants and germs. The Ozilla sterilizer is easy and safe to use and has a novel -scrubbing- technology that removes all ozone gases at the end of each sterilization cycle, by converting ozone gas back to oxygen.  As an added advantage, the Ozilla air sterilizer will leave your room or cabinet odor-free and smelling fresh, clean, and ready for your next usage.

AAA Sends Letter to Treasury Secretary Mnuchin on Paycheck Protection Program

Earlier today, the AAA sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Mnuchin asking that he use his discretionary authority to apply the same terms of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to ambulance service organizations with 500 or more employees. The PPP, established by the CARES Act, is only available to businesses with 500 or fewer employees and provides more favorable loan terms based on the retention of employees. Read the letter HERE.