Testimony for the. Senate and House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee. SR 6 Commission. August 14, 2018

Transcription

1 Testimny fr the Senate and Huse Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Cmmittee SR 6 Cmmissin August 14, 2018 Dave Jnes, EMS Manager Penn State University Health Services Chair, SR 6 Cmmissin, EMS Subcmmittee 1

2 SR 6 Emergency Medical Services COMMITTEE MEMBERS Chair Dave Jnes, Penn State University representing PEHSC jdj5@psu.edu Raphael Barishansky, PA Department f Health rbarishans@pa.gv Mark Hamiltn, Cmmissiner, Tiga Cunty mhamiltn@tigacuntypa.us Peter Melan, Cuncil Member, City f Eastn pmelan@eastn-pa.gv Dn Dereamus, Ambulance Assciatin f PA ddereamus@suburbanems.rg Inc. Barry Albertsn, System Directr, Pinnacle Health Cmmunity LifeTeam, balbertsn@pinnaclehealth.rg Kim Hlman, Gd Fellwship Ambulance & EMS Training Institute kim@gdfellwship.rg Steve McKinniss, McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authrity smckinniss@mfpaa.rg Kraig Nace, Duncannn EMS dems29nace@yah.cm Janette Swade, PEHSC jswade@pehsc.rg Heather Sharar, Ambulance Assciatin f PA executivedirectr@aa-paa.rg 2

3 Gary Watters, AMED Dylan Fergusn, PA Department f Health, Bureau f EMS dyfergusn@pa.gv Meetings f the EMS Cmmittee January 9 SR6 cmmittee PEMA February 2 SR6 cmmittee Allegheny Cunty February 21 cnference call March 8 cnference call April 3 SR6 cmmittee Chester Cunty April 10 cnference call cmmittee chairs nly April 30 cnference call May 21 cnference call May 30 SR6 cmmittee Smerset June 14 cnference call - cmmittee chairs nly August 7 SR6 cmmittee Luzerne Cunty We have submitted data requests and received data n the fllwing tpics: Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund distributin and prjects funded fr the past 5 years EMSOF fine data fr the past 10 years brken dwn by categry (ARD), curt, fines nt cllected 3

4 The number f certified vlunteer and paid EMS persnnel The number f active EMS persnnel The number f vlunteer and paid EMS agencies We are currently finalizing recmmendatins t address funding and peratinal cncerns, data that needs t be gathered fr n-ging decisin-making, relatins and cmmunicatins between agencies and cmmunity leaders, recruitment and retentin f EMS persnnel, changes in EMS system structure, legislatin t help funding and payment t agencies. Draft recmmendatins are: Cntinue effrts t require payment if treatment is prvided withut transprt t an emergency department; this apprach may save mney in the lng run by decreasing unnecessary ambulance transprtatin t the highest cst center fr treatment. Fund innvative appraches t healthcare (mbile integrated healthcare) by assessing ptential savings vs. the current pay-fr-transprt mdel. Medicaid reimbursement rates shuld be reviewed every 2 years fr all types and levels f EMS prviders. Change Medicaid plicy and/r regulatin fr ambulance reimbursement t include the mileage rate t grund and air ambulance fr ALL laded mileage. Change Medicaid plicy and/r regulatin t address payment plicy and medical necessity cnsistent with Medicare plicy guidelines. Prhibit the utilizatin f c-pays and deductibles by cmmercial insurers n the payment fr emergency ambulance treatment and/r transprtatin. Cnsider new mdels t fund the cst f readiness funding shuld be prvided directly t the services. 4

5 Identify and institute new surces fr EMSOF funding. Cnsider surcharge n health and/r vehicle insurance, firewrks tax revenue, etc. Audit curt recrds t ensure EMSOF fees are being crrectly cllected and depsited int the fund Review the structure f reginal EMS cuncils t determine if cntracted aspects (such as assisting BEMS with investigatins, inspectins, etc.) f their respnsibilities culd be reassigned t the Bureau f EMS (with apprpriate line-item budget supprt) at a cst saving frm EMSOF, allwing reginal EMS cuncils t fcus n system imprvement. This wuld require additinal GGO supprt t BEMS fr the additin f at least ne EMS prgram specialist. Review/revisit direct pay legislatin Determine the reasn services are nt taking advantage f this legislatin Based n respnses, adjust the legislatin t make direct pay prcedure mre attractive t services Cnsider requiring insurance cmpanies t remit payment directly t EMS prviders. Prvide penalties when third-party insurance payments fr service are made t EMS patients, but thse payments are nt frwarded t the EMS agency including deductibles and c-pays wed. Update the statewide EMS recruiting website ( Educate cmmunity leadership n the capabilities and csts f the EMS system. Allw the frmatin f authrities at the cunty level t rganize and fund EMS services in rural areas. Strengthen the prvisins and supprt f Mbile Integrated Healthcare initiatives acrss the Cmmnwealth. Authrize EMS relief assciatins in a manner similar t fire relief assciatins, r grandfather existing EMS relief assciatins. 5