By Allison G. S. Knox
Contributor, EDM Digest
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recently passed House Bill 1013. The legislation calls for ambulance companies to be reimbursed for patients they treat, regardless of whether or not those patients are transported to a hospital.
This legislation is important to emergency medical services in Pennsylvania. However, like many bills, this particular piece of legislation does not appear to be comprehensive enough to cover other issues of concern to emergency medical services.
Local Budgets Affect Emergency Medical Services
Emergency medical services’ budgets are a difficult issue for local governments because they have limited funds. Emergency medical services bear the brunt of reduced funding and often do not get the money they need to function as effectively as they would like.
That is one of the many reasons why the Pennsylvania House bill is a helpful step for emergency medical services in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania House Bill Needs Further Refinement
But the proposed legislation isn’t comprehensive enough. For example, there are a few issues about the reimbursement wording as it pertains to “regardless of whether or not the patient is transported.”
For one, the definition of “treatment” could prove problematic. What exactly constitutes “treatment?” Some providers might argue that taking a patient’s blood pressure and blood sugar level is treatment because they used their skills to treat a person in a medical emergency. Therefore, they should be compensated.
But to a patient or a local official, a blood pressure test does not constitute full medical treatment. Someone might say, “All they did was take my blood pressure. I don’t understand why they’re being reimbursed.”
The legislation passed by the Pennsylvania House certainly has a lot of positive features, but like any proposed legislation, it needs amending.
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