EMS Week 2020

Posted on by Marissa Manderfield

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 16, 2020 EMS STRONG LAUNCHES “READY TODAY. PREPARING FOR TOMORROW.” CAMPAIGN TO HONOR EMS PROFESSIONALS Campaign unifies the profession and brings awareness to National EMS Week, May 17-23, 2020  WASHINGTON March 16, 2020– The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), in partnership with the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), is proud to announce this year’s EMS STRONG campaign theme: READY TODAY. PREPARING FOR TOMORROW. The annual EMS STRONG campaign provides opportunities to recognize the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) community, enhance and strengthen the profession on a national level and celebrate National EMS Week, May 17-23, 2020. The campaign brings together key organizations, media partners and corporate sponsors that are committed to recognizing and fortifying the EMS community, commending recent groundbreaking accomplishments and increasing awareness of National EMS Week. “As we enter a new decade, we look ahead to the future of prehospital care. This future will include dramatic improvements in patient care, thanks to advances in research, information sharing and life- changing technology,” says William P. Jaquis, MD, FACEP, President of ACEP. “During National EMS Week, and throughout the year, we are proud to recognize EMS and fire professionals who tirelessly serve their communities (more…)

AAA Sends Letter to CMS on COVID-19 Response

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The AAA has sent a letter to CMS on how the agency can most help ground ambulance service providers and suppliers be better prepared to respond to potential cases of COVID-19. The AAA has requested priority access to personal protection equipment for EMS personnel and COVID-19 test kits and results, as well as easing Medicare and Medicaid policies on alternative destinations and treatment in place. The letter was also sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). Read the letter HERE....

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President signs law providing funds to combat Corona Virus

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President Donald Trump today signed H.R. H.R. 6074 into law, approving $8.3 billion in supplemental appropriations to fund programs in response to the COVID-19 illness. The bill would bolster vaccine development, research, equipment stockpiles, and state and local health budgets as government officials and health workers fight to contain the outbreak, which has claimed 11 lives in the U.S. and sickened more than 160 people across more than a dozen states. The AAA advocated to negotiators of the bill that first responders needed to be included in the funding package and that all communities be eligible for the funding. Due in part to our outreach, the emergency funding provides a transfer of no less than $10 million to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for worker-based training aimed at preventing exposure of the virus to emergency first responders, and others at risk of exposure (i.e., hospital employees). The supplemental also appropriates $1 billion for state and local preparedness, which will allow state and local governments to carry out preparedness and response activities, with each State receiving a minimum of $4 million. Of the $1 billion, $300 million is allocated for global disease detection and emergency response, and FY 2019...

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AAA Releases 2020 Medicare Rate Calculator

Posted on by AAA Staff

AAA 2020 Medicare Rate Calculator Now Available! The American Ambulance Association is pleased to announce the release of its 2020 Medicare Rate Calculator tool. The AAA believes this is a valuable tool that can assist members in budgeting for the coming year. This calculator has been updated to account for recent changes in Medicare policies, including the 2020 Ambulance Inflation Factor (0.9%) and the continuation of the current temporary add-ons. To access the Rate Calculator, please CLICK HERE....

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Tristan

Member Advisory: CMMI Releases Initial List of ET3 Participants

Posted on by Tristan North

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMI) has released its initial list of applicants selected to participate in the ET3 pilot program. CMMI notes that the list is not final as it still needs to execute participation agreements with the applicants. CMMI will issue a final list once it completes the process. Applicants from 36 states and the District of Columbia were selected to participate in the program. Approximately 200 applicants were approved with instances in which the same ambulance service organization submitted applications for multiple counties as well as more than one organization submitting an application for the same county. CMMI has sent notifications to each of the applicants letting them know to expect a follow up email with the partnership agreement, program guidance and additional details. The ET3 program is a five-year voluntary pilot program designed to test the potential benefit to the Medicare program and patients of ambulance service providers and suppliers furnishing treatment in place as well as transport to alternative destinations. For more information about the ET3 program, please go the ET3 website.

Tristan

House Committees Consider Balance Billing Proposals

Posted on by Tristan North

This past Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, the House Ways & Means and Education & Labor Committees marked up their proposals on balance or “surprise” billing. As we reported on Monday of this week, the Ways & Means Committee proposal, the Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act (H.R. 5826), did not include a provision on ground ambulance services. The House Education & Labor proposal, The Ban Surprise Billing Act (H.R. 5800), however, included a provision to create a federal advisory committee to recommend restrictions on the ability of ground ambulance service providers and suppliers to balance bill. The Ways & Means Committee reported out H.R 5826 favorably by voice vote. While the Education & Labor Committee also reported out H.R. 5800 favorably, the vote was 30 to 13 as a block of its Committee members preferred the approach of the Ways & Means proposal on how to address balance billing for other providers. It is now up to House leadership to determine next steps on how the chamber will approach a final package on balance billing. While H.R. 5800 as reported out by the Education & Labor Committee still includes the provision on ground ambulance services, Chairman Scott (D-VA) and (more…)

Tristan

Balance Billing Update

Posted on by Tristan North

On Friday, the House Ways & Means and Education & Labor Committees released their respective draft proposals on balance or “surprise” billing. The Ways and Means Committee proposal, the Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act, does not include a provision on ground ambulance services, but the AAA is requesting language to clarify that non-emergency interfacility ambulance transports are not inadvertently covered under the bill. The proposal by the Education & Labor Committee entitled The Ban Surprise Billing Act, however, does include a provision that would restrict ground ambulance service suppliers from balance billing. The Ban Surprise Billing Act would create a federal advisory committee comprised of various federal agency, ambulance industry, insurance and consumer representatives to develop restrictions on balance billing. The Secretary of Health and Human Services would then promulgate regulations based on the recommendations of the advisory committee. The Education & Labor Committee is scheduled to mark-up their bill tomorrow, Tuesday, February 11, and the Ways & Means Committee will consider their legislation on Wednesday, February 12. The AAA has communicated to the Education & Labor Committee our concerns with including a provision on ground ambulance services in the bill and our objection to taking away the ability...

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CMS Cost Collection Call – December 5th

Posted on by Aidan Camas

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has scheduled a call for Thursday, December 5 from 1:30-3:00 PM Eastern to review the new Ambulance Cost Data Collection System. If you plan to attend, register here. CMS Ambulance Cost Data Collection December 5 | 1:30 PM ET