Upper Bucks Regional EMS, Inc. UBREMS

How would you feel if you DIALED 9-1-1 for an EMERGENCY and no one came because there were not enough funds to support full-time staff.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

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HOUSE BILL No. 1133 Session of 2007

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INTRODUCED BY MELIO, CAUSER, CONKLIN, DeWEESE, FAIRCHILD, GALLOWAY, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HENNESSEY, HESS, JAMES, JOSEPHS, KILLION, KORTZ, MAHONEY, McCALL, MICOZZIE, R. MILLER, MOYER, MURT, PALLONE, PAYNE, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, S. H. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STABACK, J. WHITE, YOUNGBLOOD AND FREEMAN, APRIL 23, 2007

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REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, APRIL 23, 2007

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AN ACT

1 Amending the act of February 1, 1966 (1965 P.L.1656, No.581), 2 entitled "An act concerning boroughs, and revising, amending 3 and consolidating the law relating to boroughs," providing 4 for specific powers of boroughs relating to emergency 5 services.

6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 7 hereby enacts as follows: 8 Section 1. Section 1202 of the act of February 1, 1966 (1965 9 P.L.1656, No.581), known as The Borough Code, is amended by 10 adding a clause to read: 11 Section 1202. Specific Powers.--The powers of the borough 12 shall be vested in the corporate authorities. Among the specific 13 powers of the borough shall be the following, and in the 14 exercise of any of such powers involving the enactment of any 15 ordinance or the making of any regulation, restriction or 16 prohibition, the borough may provide for the enforcement thereof 17 and may prescribe penalties for the violation thereof or for the

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1 failure to conform thereto: 2 * * * 3 (82) Emergency services. The borough shall be responsible 4 for ensuring that fire and emergency medical services are 5 provided within the borough, and shall determine and provide the 6 appropriate financial and administrative assistance necessary 7 for these services in order to protect the health, safety and 8 welfare of its citizenry. The borough shall require any 9 emergency services organization receiving borough funds to 10 provide to the borough an annual itemized listing of all 11 expenditures of these funds before the borough may consider 12 budgeting additional funding to the organization. 13 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

Act 7 will:

In response to municipal concerns with the up-front exemption provisions, the Governor has directed the Department of Community and Economic Development to work with local government associations and businesses to develop a uniform procedure for filing and processing exemption certificates.

For a copy of Act 7, go to www.legis.state.pa.us.

The First Medical Experts on the Scene

By Pennsylvania Senator Rob Wonderling 

Recently, a member of my staff called 911 for a sick parent.  She said “the people who came probably saved my mom’s life”.  We don’t think much about emergency responders until we need them, but they are there. They are there 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  They are the first medical experts on the scene during an emergency and play an invaluable role in our communities.

Pennsylvania’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is a system designed to provide people with sudden life-threatening emergencies with quick, effective medical care at the scene and during transport.

In Pennsylvania, accidental injury is the leading cause of death for persons under 40 years of age. For those over 40 years of age, heart disease is the major killer. Many of these deaths can be prevented when the patient receives prompt emergency medical care.

Time is the most important factor during a medical emergency. Statistics have revealed the faster medical care arrives and treatment begins, the better the chances of survival and a more rapid recovery from the illness or injury.

Within Pennsylvania, there are more than 120,000 trained first responders, medically trained emergency medical technicians, paramedics, emergency nurses and physicians. There are close to 1,500 ambulance services which operate about 6,000 licensed ambulances.

Unfortunately, Pennsylvania’s ambulance services are threatened by a payment system that does not adequately reimburse ambulance companies for the vital service they perform. Currently, insurance companies pay for ambulance service by reimbursing the individual, who then reimburses the ambulance company.  Sadly, often times, the ambulance company never receives payment and has little recourse to retrieve payment.

I often hear from local ambulance providers throughout the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys who state that they simply cannot continue to provide the level of care they want to if they are not given sufficient reimbursements.

In the 24^th district which I represent, Upper Bucks Regional Emergency Medical Services assists not only Upper Bucks County, but parts of Lehigh and Northampton counties as well. The Upper Bucks Regional EMS Board of Directors President Gary Pearson, says getting reimbursement for service is one of their top concerns. He says that more than 50 percent of the calls they respond to are either not reimbursed or require large amounts of time and resources to retrieve payment. This includes responding to fire department calls for assistance or assisting the police at traffic accidents.

To help address this issue, I will be introducing legislation this fall to require insurance companies to send reimbursements for emergency medical service directly to the ambulance provider. I believe this will lessen the paperwork burden on the individual who received medical care, and help our emergency responders continue to provide the important life-saving work they do.

As a public servant, I believe we must do all we can to ensure that the men and women who serve as emergency responders in our communities get the tools they need to do their jobs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Senator Wonderling represents the 24^th Senatorial District, which includes parts of Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Northampton counties

Seven months into its first year as an independent ambulance squad, Chalfont Emergency Medical Services appears to be holding its own, say most local officials.

Late last year, Bucks County court settled a contentious dispute between the Chalfont Fire Co. and its ambulance service, setting forth a detailed plan for the emergency services group to establish itself outside the auspices of the fire department.

Although some doubted the EMS could survive on its own, questioning its financial viability, most agree it has survived the first half of the year in pretty good shape.

Freda R. Savana can be reached at (215) 345-3061 or fsavana@phillyBurbs.com.

Did you know…
 

· UBREMS protects approximately 30,000 people

· Living in a 200 square mile area

· Operates out of 2 stations (Revere and Springtown)

· Members are salaried and volunteers

· Yearly Subscriptions are $65.00 per family

o       Ambulance Service is Free paid subscription

· A donation to the Fire Company is not a donation to EMS

· The Fire Company, by law, can not transport a patient

Imagine LIFE in Upper Bucks without Emergency Medical Services!

YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION...
Make your checks payable to

Upper Bucks Regional EMS
PO Box 105
Revere PA 18953

610.847.2165