(ST. PAUL, Minn.) – The Minnesota Senate passed its Health and Human Services Budget bill Wednesday by a vote of 34 – 33, which included legislation carried by Senator Grant Hauschild (DFL-Hermantown) that will provide sustained, long-term funding for Emergency Medical Services in Minnesota.
“Though we’ve made a lot of progress on addressing the challenges facing rural EMS, dedicated state funding has remained out of reach, but not anymore. This bill will provide sustained, long-term funding for ambulance services that have been struggling to stay afloat and ensure that Minnesotans can still get the emergency care they need,” said Sen. Hauschild. “This is a huge win for rural communities and the entire state, and I’m hopeful that our colleagues in the House join us in the Senate to get this done this year.”
The HHS Budget bill, SF 2669, creates an Ambulance Operating Deficit Grant Program at the Office of Emergency Medical Services, which will provide financial support for ambulance services that are operating at a deficit. Additionally, the bill increases Medical Assistance (MA) reimbursement rates for ambulance services across the state. While the statewide rate increase is 15%, it is 25% for rural service areas thanks to another Sen. Hauschild provision included in the bill.
A broad group of stakeholders including the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, the Minnesota Ambulance Association, the Minnesota Rural Health Association, and a number of community EMS providers sent a letter of support for the HHS budget bill highlighting the new program saying this and other provisions will “go a long way toward sustaining services into the future, continuing to ensure that when someone calls 911 for an ambulance, the expectation that one will show up can continue.”
The bill now moves to Conference Committee with the House of Representatives.
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Learn more about Sen. Hauschild.
