US House of Representatives takes on EMS funding
(BAYFIELD, Colo.) February 25
By Bruce Evans, MPA, CFO, SPO, NRP
Chief, Upper Pine River Fire Protection District and Past President of the National Association of EMTs
Four key and not often-thought-of bills are making their way through Congress. Many EMS providers take funding support for granted. On February 14th the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health heard testimony on 19 health care bills. Four have a direct impact on EMS.
These four bills are up for reauthorization and have bipartisan support. Representing EMS at the table was Randy Strozyk, President of the American Ambulance Association. Randy testified on four of the bills.
- The first was H.R. 7208, to reauthorize the Traumatic Brain Injury program sponsored by Representatives Pascrell and Bacon. As the title suggests this bill will provide state grants and activities for the prevention of head trauma.
- The second bill is H.R. 7251, to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain poison control programs, sponsored by Reps. Chavez-DeRemer, J. Joyce, Davis, and Cherfilus-McCormick. Having access to the poison control center is a critical need for EMS. Representatives asked questions about the increase in marijuana and THC-related calls along with designer opiates and if poison control can help.
- The third is H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024 from Representatives Carter and Castor. The additional support Colorado EMS gets from the EMS for Childrens Program is something we may think is provided by local or State tax dollars. Federal money comes down from the EMS for Childrens Programs to enhance our pediatric care.
- Lastly is H.R. 4646, SIREN Reauthorization Act from Representative D. Joyce and Dingell. It is likely the most complex of the reauthorizations, where $11 million was appropriated for rural EMS training and equipment. Some of the money from SIREN has come to Ute Pass Ambulance in Woodland Park and to my organization at Upper Pine River Fire. This funding stream is being extended to a two-year cycle of grants with the idea of getting more paramedics in the pipeline.
If you cannot attend the Federal EMS Day on the Hill in April to promote several other bills including key legislation on Treat and Transport to an alternative location (TAD) and treatment in place (TIP) will be on the table.
To send a letter to our Federal Legislators you can go to NAEMT’s legislative service at https://www.naemt.org/advocacy/online-legislative-service#/
