Cooper Bill Addresses Emergency Services Crisis
HARRISBURG – Rep. Jill Cooper (R-Westmoreland) unveiled legislation this week to correct the funding model related to state mandated emergency medical services throughout local towns in Pennsylvania.
“Our EMS providers are in a crisis right now, and if we don’t take urgent action, we risk facing a terrifying reality that when someone calls 911 for help, there might not be anyone available to respond,” Cooper said. “After 36 years of service, an EMS company in my district closed its doors in December. Unfortunately, this is a statewide problem, as 47 ambulance companies faced a similar fate in 2023-24.”
The legislation,
House Bill 1152, aims to address the increasing number of local EMS agencies that ceased operations because of fiscal concerns, which was the case when Saltsburg-based Lifestat terminated its services in December. Because state law mandates local governments to designate an ambulance service provider, Lifestat’s closure caused a familiar chain reaction; the demand is passed to neighboring providers who were already stretched thin and facing the same financial concerns as the agency that closed.
Cooper’s proposal, backed by 30 bipartisan co-sponsors, would require insurers to pay 350% of the current ambulance rate established by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and apply only to state mandated 911 calls, regardless of whether the EMS agency is in network. The practice of requiring patients to pay the difference between the total cost of services and the amount the insurance company pays, commonly known as “balance billing or “surprise billing,” would be prohibited.
“For decades, our communities have enjoyed the peace of mind in knowing that an ambulance would respond when an emergency arises,” Cooper said. “But readiness comes at a steep price and the reality is that every time an ambulance is deployed, under the current funding model, a financial loss occurs. House Bill 1152 goes a long way to make sure that Pennsylvania emergency services can continue to provide an immediate response.”
Cooper serves as co-chair of the bipartisan House Fire and EMS Caucus, which hosted a press conference Monday to discuss several legislative actions focused on better funding of emergency service organizations, personnel safety and workforce development.
House Bill 1152 was referred to the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee.
Representative Jill Cooper
55th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jordan Frei
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jfrei@pahousegop.com
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