By MELANIE LEKOCEVIC
Capital Region Independent Media
ALBANY—Legislation signed into law September 18 will reimburse EMS for providing treatment-in-place for patients with Medicaid coverage.
The legislation was championed by state Senator Michelle Hinchey (D-41st) at a recent press conference at the Greenport Rescue Squad.
Prior to the bill’s passage, EMS providers who treated patients onsite without transporting them to a hospital emergency room or brought them to an alternative facility, such as an urgent care clinic, were not reimbursed for their services by Medicaid. EMS was only paid when the patient was taken to a hospital.
Under the new law, EMS providers will be reimbursed for treatment on-scene, or if the patient is transported to an approved health care facility such as urgent care, mental health clinics or telemedicine consultations.
The law goes into effect October 1.
The legislation received bipartisan support in both the state Senate and the Assembly and was endorsed by numerous EMS, firefighter and other first responder organizations.
A bill was also signed into law by the governor allowing ambulances to carry and transfuse blood during all emergency transports, not just between hospitals. Prior to the new bill, EMS providers could only handle blood during inter-hospital transfers.
“Our legislation will finally ensure EMS gets paid for care they’re not currently reimbursed for, like onsite treatment, telemedicine, and specialized transport to mental health facilities, as well as allow ground ambulances to administer life-saving blood transfusions to trauma patients in all emergency situations, not just between hospitals,” Senator Hinchey said in a statement. “EMS is a pillar of our health care system, especially in rural and medically underserved areas where EMS is the first — and at times the only — line of emergency care.”
Aidan O’Connor Jr, executive director of Greenport Rescue Squad Inc. and previous EMS Coordinator for Greene County, said in a press release, “The treat-in-place and alternative destinations bill is transformational for all EMS—whether municipal, non-profit, commercial, rural, suburban, or urban. The blood transfusion bill for ground ambulances provides one of the most vital tools in our toolbox to save lives and represents the most advanced contribution to EMS in New York State in decades. In a time when EMS is in crisis, these measures will make a significant positive impact on our patients, providers, and communities.”
Benjamin Boykin II, president of the New York State Association of Counties, said the legislation will provide much-needed support to struggling EMS agencies across the state.
“By signing these pieces of legislation into law, Gov. Hochul is giving New York’s EMS providers and professionals a booster shot in the arm, providing more flexibility and funding to do what they do best: save lives,” Mr. Boykin said.
The two laws also received support from the Firefighters Association of the State of New York. FASNY President Eugene Perry, who spoke at the September 6 press conference in Greenport, said in a statement, passage of the legislation will give first responders more flexibility in making treatment decisions.
“The enactment of these new laws, which give more decision-making authority to first responders on scene, marks another step forward in improving our emergency response capabilities,” Mr. Perry said.
