Only eight municipal governments in Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, pay toward their EMS services. The rest almost entirely rely on ambulance reimbursement.
HARRISBURG — Emergency medical services are the only first responders that most Pennsylvanians don’t pay toward until they call 911.
“EMS is dying,” said Heather Sharar, the executive director of the Ambulance Association of Pennsylvania, which represents 220 EMS agencies. “How long can you exist if no one is paying you the cost for your service?”The funding shortfall has led a number of EMS agencies to close, with three in Pennsylvania closing in the last three months — leaving a ripple effect that will require other agencies in the region to pick up the need.
However, Philadelphia also relies on some independent EMS agencies to respond to emergency calls. These agencies don’t receive funding from the city and mostly rely on ambulance billing, Sharar said. Any delay to these funds hurts EMS agencies, Sharar said. The increased ambulance reimbursement rates won’t get disbursed until both the Senate and House approve them. The state House isn’t scheduled to return to session until the end of September, following a special election for a safe Democratic seat that is all but sure to return House Democrats to their numeric majority of 102-101. Until then, the chamber is tied 101-101, and House lawmakers are unlikely to return until after that election.
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