During the Wednesday news briefing, Governor Jim Justice addressed the continued problems emergency medical services face due to staff shortages, increased healthcare and fuel costs, especially in rural communities such as our own.
Justice said that he had instructed the DHHR Bureau for Medical Services to submit a State Plan Amendment to seek approval to raise the ground ambulance medical transportation services to 100 percent of the Medicare geographic prevailing fee. This increase will provide the state’s 208 ambulance service providers an additional 11.8 million each fiscal year, effective July 1.
The WV EMS Coalition stated on their website:
The EMS community is grateful for Governor Justice’s recent announcement that $10 million of CARES Act funding will be directed to first responders. EMS providers feel like they have been overlooked during this COVID pandemic, and the funding is a welcomed sign of appreciation for the struggles they have experienced.
“ We have done this to try to retain or recruit, you know, good, good, good people. These people have given so much. You talk about they run to the fire; they surely have.“
— Gov. Jim Justice
We are optimistic this one-time funding can serve as a first step towards stabilizing the EMS system in West Virginia and provide a short-term bridge that will allow time for the Governor, Legislature, and other stakeholders to work together on a plan to address the long-term workforce, readiness and funding needs of ambulance agencies in West Virginia.
To read the entire document go to http://www.wvemscoalition.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/EMS-At-Risk-in-the-Mountain-State.pdf
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With Calhoun County EMS facing continual financial and staffing issues it is hoped that this will offer some relief and stabilization for our own community.
