Funding EMS 

Perhaps the single biggest problems facing Emergency Medical Service (EMS) operations today is funding.

Oklahoma has never had an adequate funding source for Emergency Medical Services such as Municipal Fire and Polices services have.

Medicare implemented cutbacks starting in April 2002 and has left EMS providers with ever increasing shortfalls. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority has increased Medicaid reimbursement to EMS providers but payments still do not cover costs. Medicare and Medicaid patients make up over half of all revenue generated for EMS operations. The number of EMS patients that are unable or unwilling to pay for ambulance service makeup between twenty to thirty percent of patients statewide. A fraction of the indigent care meets the strict requirements for reimbursement for the Oklahoma Trauma Care Assistance Revolving Fund. There is no compensation for non-trauma related care. The end result is that total EMS costs exceed reimbursement by an average of twenty seven to thirty percent annually.

Medic Institute supports a funding plan that.

• Gives the People of Oklahoma a way of addressing this urgent financial crisis with budget shortfalls and continues to allow EMS providers to serve their local communities and save the lives of their family and friends.
• Allows communities to develop the type of EMS system they want and can afford.
• Helps citizens of an area keep local control.
• Provides a way for areas that have no EMS service the opportunity of one.
• Gives citizens funding options that must be approved by a vote of the people.
• Does NOT create unfunded mandates for emergency services.
• Has changes to allow “522” EMS Districts to reorganize and/or seek new sources of funding.