Re: DEBT SETBACK LEGISLATION

Folks:

As most of you are aware we are going to try and pass legislation in Missouri in 2010 which will allow ambulance services to use a debt set-off provision. This would allow us to have our bad debt listed on a computer and than compared with folks who are in line to get state tax refunds. Instead of them getting their tax refund the amount would be used to pay their ambulance bill.

This has worked very well in North & South Carolina.

Attached is a light weight letter which we have put together in order to help get legislators aware of the topic.

Part of the process is to educate legislators so that they understand the issue.

This is step one, this letter is designed for you to convert to your service letterhead and than send to your state representatives and senators.

Further down the road when we have a bill filed in Jefferson City we will need further contacts to help move the issue forward.

We estimate that a debt set-off program could gain around $3-3.5 million in additional dollars state-wide per year for ground ambulance services.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Jason White

Click here for sample letter.

Please take this PSO Survey!

The Missouri Center for Patient Safety is working to bring EMS agencies across the state in to our Patient Safety Organization for protected quality and safety reporting. The team working on this project wants to hear from you on a few very simple things. The Survey Monkey link should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Your answers will be kept confidential, and the results of this survey will be shared at the next meeting of the project work group. Please respond by Friday, October 16. If you have difficulty with the link or it is not working correctly please email (Marilyn @ mnichols@mocps.org), and she will send you copy of the survey in a Word document. Thank you for your time, and please let us know if you have any questions.

Survey LInk.

Date: Oct. 12, 2009

Up-Date on the FRA program

Federal Reimbursement Allocation
for ground ambulance services in Missouri.

Date: Oct. 9, 2009

Update on the H1N1 Flu

FEMA recommends that those who provide emergency medical services, icluding EMTs and paramedics, receive the H1N1 vaccination as soon as it becomes available in their local jurisdiction.