On May 18, 2020, American Ambulance Association President Aarron Reinert shared a special message with EMS providers from across the nation. Today, American Ambulance Association President Aarron Reinert shared a special message with #EMS providers from across… Posted by American Ambulance Association on Monday, May 18, 2020 Happy EMS Week, and thank you for providing your communities with 24/7 on-demand mobile healthcare! Like & Share on Facebook | Retweet
Dear Fellow AAA Members, I write to you today during what we all recognize as an extraordinary time for EMS. As we collectively serve on the very front lines of the COVID-19 epidemic, we know that the most challenging times are still ahead. However, I am heartened by the collective resolve of the members of the American Ambulance Association to provide 24/7 on-demand mobile healthcare, no matter the circumstances. As President of the Association, I am sharing below a brief summary of the AAA’s activities to support its members in the face of this devastating disease. COVID-19 Content & Approach Coronavirus Working Group—AAA Region III Director Tom Tornstrom, Executive Director of Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance, has been appointed to lead the AAA Coronavirus Working Group. The team includes AAA’s lobbyists, leadership, staff, and members from across the nation. We meet frequently and collaborate constantly to track challenges and find solutions to EMS issues relating to COVID-19 response. Sample topics include: First responder safety and wellness Reimbursement for alternative destinations, treatment in place, and mobile testing Paperwork reduction / waivers Advocating for policies in federal legislation that support mobile healthcare and redacting those that can negatively impact the industry Members will receive (more…)
The winners of the 2019 AAA Board of Directors election are listed below. Please join us in thanking all candidates for their service to the American Ambulance Association.
To All AAA Members, In accordance with the AAA Bylaws, floor nominations for the Board, Ethics and Honorary Membership positions for the 2019 election will be accepted by the AAA board prior to their approval of the slate of candidates. If you are interested in a position or nominating another member, but have not filled out your nomination form or candidate’s questionnaire, please contact a AAA Board member so they can place your name on the slate prior to the closing of nominations. All floor nominations must be received by 5:00pm Eastern on Wednesday, September 18, 2019. If you have any questions, please contact Maria Bianchi, AAA Executive Director (mbianchi@ambulance.org). Please follow this link to contact a AAA board member....
Call For Nominations Now Open! In accordance with the Bylaws of the American Ambulance Association, it is time to call for members in good standing that wish to serve on the Board of Directors. The AAA is now seeking candidates for the following positions: Region I Director (CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI & VT) Region II Director (AL, DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, PA, SC, VA, WV) Region III Director (IL, IN, KY, MI, OH, TN WI) Region IV Director (AR, IA, KS, LA, MN, MO, OK, ND, NE, SD, TX) Region V Director (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY Individuals who wish to be considered for an elected position as Regional Director must: 1. Be the designated representative of an Active member of the AAA, in good standing; 2. Be ready to devote time and effort to matters which concern the Board of Directors and to actively participate in all Board activities; 3. Be prepared to assist other AAA members with concerns and problems which relate to the ambulance industry and the workings of the AAA; and, 4. Understand that these positions provide no compensation for time or reimbursement for expenses. All travel-related expenses, including...
The AAA Board is deeply saddened to share the passing of Fred Della Valle, former AAA Regional Director and longtime AMR leader. Our thoughts are with his wife, JoAnn, family, friends, and colleagues. This page will be updated with his obituary as soon as it becomes available. Arrangements Tuesday, February 5, 2019 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wake Iovanne Funeral Home 11 Wooster Place New Haven, CT 06511 203-865-8961 www.iovanne.com Wednesday, February 6, 2019 10:00 am Mass of the Christian Burial Saint Therese Church 555 Middletown Ave North Haven, CT 06473 203-239-1671 Obituary Read his obituary here. Fred In His Own Words In 2016, Fred shared with AAA a little bit about his life and professional journey.
Dear Fellow AAA Members, Happy New Year from the American Ambulance Association! We enter this new year ready to rise together as an industry to face the mobile healthcare’s challenges and opportunities. Advocacy Update The AAA worked hard in the 115th Congress to achieve many legislative and regulatory wins for the industry. Thanks to the AAA Board, volunteer leaders, staff and consultants, and members alike, we were able to accomplish many of our goals to improve payment policies and overall regulations that will benefit AAA members and the industry as a whole. Last year, the AAA ensured the inclusion and passage of a 5-year extension of the ambulance Medicare add-on payments through December 31, 2022 as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. The AAA also successfully pushed our preferred method for data cost collection using a survey which is the most likely to provide useful data for future payment reform as well as be the least burdensome on ambulance service providers. In coordination with particular AAA members, the AAA worked with Senator Collins to include report language to accompany the FY2019 Senate VA Appropriations bill which directs the VA to use the prudent layperson standard for determining emergency (more…)
It is with deep sadness we share the passing of beloved family man, friend, colleague, and former AAA President Steve Williamson. H. Stephen Williamson Obituary H. Stephen Williamson, 68, of Hope, Arkansas, formerly of Tulsa, Oklahoma, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle passed away suddenly on November 3, 2018 at his home. Preceded in death by his mother, Evelyn Williamson, father, Hershel Williamson, and first wife, Pat Williamson, Steve is survived by his best friend and wife Rebecca Williamson (Smith); his two adored daughters Jennifer Thomas (Jason) of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Ashley Schneeberg (Matt) of Jenks, Oklahoma; his brother, Mark Williamson (Theresa) of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; and his five step children, Blake Burruss (Rachel), Krista Sands, Holly Chapman (Joel), Sarah Lyn Smith and Jay Darrin Smith. He was an exceptional grandfather to his beautiful grandchildren and step grandchildren, Asa and Will Thomas, Kate and Ava Schneeberg, Barrett Burruss, Addysion Sands, Brycelyn Wiedel, and Gabe Chapman. He is also survived by numerous cousins, nephews, a niece, and his aunt, Blanche Wilson. H. Stephen Williamson was the president and chief executive officer of Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) since the Authority began operations in 1978, and served for over 39 years. (more…)
Dear Fellow AAA Members, Since I assumed the office of president last month at our Annual Conference, I have been deeply moved by the selfless actions of ambulance services across the nation as they responded to natural disasters. As always, EMS answered the call to help with humanity, efficiency, and professionalism. My thoughts are with those impacted by the recent storms as well as the thousands of EMTs and Paramedics currently helping with Hurricane Michael recovery. Annual Conference & Trade Show Thanks to each of you who attended, exhibited at, or sponsored this year’s impressive Annual Conference & Trade Show. We appreciate your support and participation—it could not have been such a success without you. Once again, congratulations to our AMBY and AAA award winners! I would also like to welcome our new board members and thank those who continue to serve. At the conference, I took a few minutes to share my thoughts about the future of our association. If you missed it, you can catch up via video or essay on the AAA site. We can’t wait to see you in Nashville next November 4-6, 2019! Please check back at www.annual.ambulance.org early next year for more attendee information....
Adapted from Aarron Reinert’s address at the 2018 American Ambulance Association Membership Meeting & Awards Dear Fellow Member: I write today to introduce myself as the new President of the American Ambulance Association. It is my honor to serve on your behalf, and I wanted to share with you a bit about my vision for our association over these next two years. Choices & Challenges As I prepared to take office, I spent a lot of time thinking deeply about where we’ve come, where we are, and where we’re going. It occurs to me that the next two years will likely be about choices: We can choose to be an association that is the nation’s voice for ambulances services; or we can choose not to. We can choose to stand tall in the face of adversity; or we can choose not to. We can choose to work even harder, even when we passionately disagree with one another; or we can choose not to. And we can choose to do this hard work in concert with associations outside of our own, especially those that disagree with us. Or, here again, we can choose not to. We have challenging work in front (more…)
The winners of the 2018 AAA Board of Directors election are listed below. Please join us in thanking all candidates for their service to the American Ambulance Association.
Call For Nominations Now Open! In accordance with the Bylaws of the American Ambulance Association, it is time to call for members in good standing that wish to serve on the Board of Directors. The AAA is now seeking candidates for the following positions: President-Elect Treasurer-at-Large Secretary Region I Director (CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI & VT) Region II Director (AL, DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, PA, SC, VA, WV) Region III Director (IL, IN, KY, MI, OH, TN WI) Region IV Director (AR, IA, KS, LA, MN, MO, OK, ND, NE, SD, TX) Region V Director (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY Individuals who wish to be considered for an elected position as President-Elect, Treasurer-at-Large, or Secretary must meet the following criteria: 1. Be an employee of and the designated representative of an Active member of the AAA, in good standing; 2. Be ready to devote time and effort to matters which concern the Board of Directors and to actively participate in all Board activities; 3. Be prepared to assist other AAA members with concerns and problems which relate to the ambulance industry and the workings of the AAA; and, 4. Understand that these positions (more…)
Dear Fellow AAA Member, Spring has sprung, and the American Ambulance Association is busier than ever working on your behalf to build the future of EMS. The AAA is pleased to announce that since our last Response Times update, Congress has passed the 5-year extension of the Medicare ambulance add-ons. The extension included the AAA’s preferred method of cost data collection that provides flexibility to the Secretary of HHS in developing the system. Consultation with the industry is required so that it strikes the appropriate balance between obtaining meaningful data and avoiding overly burdening or onerously penalizing the ambulance services. This legislation was a true victory for the AAA and the entire industry. Learn more► This success would not have been possible without months of effort by AAA volunteer leaders, advocacy experts, and staff, as well as support from our key champions in Congress. In particular, the AAA would like to thank Senator Debbie Stabenow for spearheading our legislation and ensuring that the Senate language prevailed. In recognition of Senator Stabenow’s support, she has been named the AAA’s 2018 Legislator of the Year. The AAA would also like to thank Senators Schumer, Roberts, Collins, Leahy, Hatch, Wyden, Thune, and many (more…)
The winners of the 2017 AAA Board of Directors election are listed below. Please join us in thanking all candidates for their service to the American Ambulance Association.
Election Timeline | Board Candidates | Ethics Committee Candidates The 2017 AAA Election is going paperless and this year’s election will be held entirely online. Primary contacts of Active Single State and Multi-State Members are permitted by AAA’s bylaws to vote in board elections. Election Timeline 10/11 | Voting Opens Ballots will be delivered to AAA Active Member primary contacts via email from announcement@associationvoting.com. If you have questions about your organization’s voter, please email Aidan Camas at acamas@ambulance.org 11/2 | Voting Closes 11:59pm (Eastern) 11/14 | Election results announced at the 2017 AAA Annual Conference & Tradeshow. Slate of Candidates Thank you and best of luck to this year’s slate of talented and seasoned board candidates. Ethics Committee Candidates Thank you to the following candidates for the AAA Ethics Committee. Voters may select up to four. Deb Bode – Lifeline Ambulance LLC. Jamie Chebra – JFK EMS Ken Morris – Life EMS Ambulance Michael Pieroni – MedEx Ambulance Service Jim Winham – Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) Questions? Please contact acamas@ambulance.org for assistance.
2017 Election Timeline 8/31 | Nominations Close 9/14 | Approval of Candidates by AAA Board of Directors 10/11 | Voting Opens Election will be paperless and held online. Ballots will be delivered to AAA Active Member primary contacts via email. 11/2 | Voting Closes 11:59pm 11/14 | Election results announced at the 2017 AAA Annual Conference & Tradeshow. The AAA’s 2017 Election will be for the following positions: Region I Director (CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI & VT) Region II Director (AL, DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, PA, SC, VA, WV) Region III Director (IL, IN, KY, MI, OH, TN WI) Region IV Director (AR, IA, KS, LA, MN, MO, OK, ND, NE, SD, TX) Region V Director (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY) Ethics Committee Questions? Please contact acamas@ambulance.org for assistance.
Call For Nominations Now Open! In accordance with the Bylaws of the American Ambulance Association, it is time to call for members in good standing that wish to serve on the Board of Directors. The AAA is now seeking candidates for the following positions: Region I Director (CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI & VT) Region II Director (AL, DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, PA, SC, VA, WV) Region III Director (IL, IN, KY, MI, OH, TN WI) Region IV Director (AR, IA, KS, LA, MN, MO, OK, ND, NE, SD, TX) Region V Director (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY Individuals who wish to be considered for an elected position as Regional Director must: 1. Be the designated representative of an Active member of the AAA, in good standing; 2. Be ready to devote time and effort to matters which concern the Board of Directors and to actively participate in all Board activities; 3. Be prepared to assist other AAA members with concerns and problems which relate to the ambulance industry and the workings of the AAA; and, 4. Understand that these positions provide no compensation for time or reimbursement for expenses. All travel-related expenses, including (more…)
The American Ambulance Association (AAA) hosted the Government Affairs and Member Forum on June 29 to provide an update on legislation on the expiring temporary Medicare ambulance add-on payments, the immediate and long-term goals of AAA on Medicare reform, and how members can get involved with ambulance service-related issues. Mark Postma, president of AAA, and a panel of experts covered varied topics, including where Senate Bill S.967 stands and what changes might occur within the industry, and then fielded questions from members to offer a better understanding of regulatory issues and what’s happening in Washington. “We put a forum together at this critical time because we currently have a Senate bill to make the add-on permanent, and we’ve been working on a House bill for a long-term extension of the add-ons to be dropped soon,” said Postma. “We have been working diligently to get the appropriate bills introduced, to keep the Medicare extenders and other items that we’ll discuss in this forum.” Capitol Hill Landscape The Senate “Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention and Reform Act” (S.967) has bipartisan support and is currently being championed Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Patrick Leahy...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Amanda Riordan 703-610-9018 ariordan@ambulance.org Washington, D.C.– The American Ambulance Association (AAA) has selected Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas as recipient of an AAA Legislative Recognition Award in honor of his strong advocacy for emergency medical services. Senator Roberts received his award during EMS on the Hill Day events on April 25. AAA President Mark Postma notes, “We would like to thank Senator Roberts for his commitment to sustainable reimbursement for ambulance services in Kansas and across our nation.” Senator Roberts was recognized for championing the Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention and Reform Act, which would make permanent the current temporary Medicare ambulance add-on increases and the super rural bonus payment. The legislation would also treat ambulance services more like providers of health care services, and require CMS to collect cost data utilizing a methodology that would likely result in usable information and not be an unnecessary burden on rural ambulance services. Senator Roberts was presented the award by Brandon Beck, President of the Kansas EMS Association (KEMSA), and other KEMSA representatives as well as Shawn Baird of Woodburn Ambulance (OR) AAA Treasurer and Vice Chair of the AAA Government Affairs Committee. In appreciation of his ongoing (more…)
Dear Fellow AAA Member, As you know, the Medicare ambulance add-on payments are set to expire on December 31, 2017. The AAA Board, Government Affairs Committee, advocacy consultants, and staff have been working diligently to build support on Capitol Hill to ensure that this critical revenue remains in place. As we continue to connect with policymakers in preparation for the introduction of our legislation, I ask that you pay special attention to the requests for advocacy action you receive from the AAA. Now, more than ever, we need the active participation of each member organization to ensure our collective future! Capital Campaign and Financial Status In addition to representing our members’ current interests in Washington, AAA strives to serve ambulance providers over the longer term. It is key that the Association build a pool of capital for use in case of an unexpected legislative or regulatory threat, or once-in-a-blue-moon strategic opportunity. For these reasons, I announced the creation of a Capital Campaign the day I assumed the office of President. Funds contributed to this campaign are managed separately from other assets, and can only be accessed after a full AAA Board vote. To date, we have raised more than $250,000 of our $1mm goal through the generous contributions of our fellow members. My deepest thanks to all who have given. If you have (more…)
