ALL EMS BILLS ARE DEAD FOR THE YEAR THEY DID NOT GET A VOTE IN COMMITE. THE LEADERSHIP OF OKLAHOMA HAS TOLD US “THIS IS NOT WHERE WE WANT TO GO WITH THE BUDGET THIS YEAR. THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA ARE AT RISK AND PUBLIC SAFETY WHICH SHOULD BE THE FIRST PIRORITY OF STATE GOVERNMENT IS BEING PUT ON THE SIDELINES. MORE OKLAHOMANS WILL DIE AND FOR MEDIC INSTITUTE THIS IS UNEXECTIABLE.
WE HAVE WORKED FIVE YEARS TO SAVE OKLAHOMANS. OKLAHOMA LEADERSHIP ALWAYS SERVES THE NEEDS OF THE SPECIAL INTREST AND OKLAHOMANS DIE. THE EMTs, PAREMEDICS AND CONCERENED CITIZENS CAN NO LONGER STAND BY LET THIS HAPPEN. IT IS FOR THIS REASON WE ARE GOING TO TAKE OUR CASE TO THE PEOPLE DIRECTLY. WE ARE HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE ON THURESDAY MARCH 8TH AT 2:00 PM AT THE STATE CAPITOL TO EXPLANE THE PROBLEMS THAT EVERY OKLAHOMA FACES EVEN IF YOU LIVE IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSE AREA. WATCH FOR MORE INFORMATION.
IN THIS ELECTION YEAR IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU ONLY SUPPORT CANADAITES THAT HAVE IDEAS TO SAVE YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS LIVES. THIS ISSUE IS THE NUMBER ONE TREAT TO YOUR SAFETY. IT IS ONLY WITH THE HELP OF OKLAHOMAS LIKE YOU THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MAKE A DIFFERENC. PLEASE READ OUR WEBSITE AND ASK QUESTION, LETS SAVE LIVES AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
KOKH FOX 25 :: Special Reports - EMT teacher training bill
Great Interview about education for EMS. You should know that EMSA has worked to stop this bill.
KOKH FOX 25 :: Special Reports - EMT teacher training bill
KOKH FOX 25 :: Special Reports - EMT teacher training bill
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Legislative Update HB 2436
House Bill 2436 the Emergency Medical Service Survival Act.
Update: the Emergency Medical Survival Act passed the Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Health & Social Services by a vote of 8 to 0, to see who voted click here. The next step for this bill will be the full Appropriations and Budget Committee.
This bill was also written by Medic Institute and designed to get emendate help to EMS services that are rural or medically underserved. It also helps get Paramedics into those areas.
The Trauma Care Assistance Revolving Fund was set up by the people of Oklahoma to build a Trauma Care and Response system. If is funded mostly by part of the tobacco tax. This fund has reimbursed hospitals for uncompensated care and readiness cost for recognized trauma facilities. It does reimbursed air and ground ambulances for uncompensated care only. In a Truma Fund Distribution Report from 2008 to 2011 Medic Institute found of a total distribution of $96,596,060.46 ground ambulances only received $584,097.47 or .60% less than 1% of total funds. You can see that EMS is not a high priority for the trauma fund. The Emergency Medical Service Survival Act would change that.
The Emergency Medical Service Survival Act would use five million ($5,000,000.00) a year to help prop up ground ambulances services that are in danger of closing or not able to provide the coverage necessary. Also the EMS survival act would require at least five percent (5%) of funds available for distribution go to ground EMS services. It would also provide one point two million ($1,200,000.00) a year to help educate EMTs and Paramedics that agree to work two years in a rural or medically underserved areas.
It would also require by January 1, 2018 that an Emergency Medical Technician / Basic and an Emergency Medical Technician / Advanced on every emergency or nonemergency response. Volunteer services would not be required to meet this section.
Also required in this act, educational programs and educators would be required to meet standards like, EMS programs must meet seventy percent (70%) first time pass rate on the National Registry examination in three of the last five years and educators will have to pass the national EMS Educators exam. Continuing education, in-service instruction and refresher courses would be exempt from the requirements.
This bill was written by Medic Institute and introduced by Rep. Josh Cockroft (R) of the House and of the Senate. This is a short term answer to the EMS crises.
This bill was written by Medic Institute and introduced by Rep. Josh Cockroft (R) of the House and of the Senate. This is a short term answer to the EMS crises.
Legislative Update HB 2382
House Bill 2382 the Ambulance Service Districts Act.
Update: The Emergency Medical Service District Act is dead for this session. This bill received strong opposition from Public Service Company of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives and Oklahoma Gas and Electric. With this opposition Rep. Cockroft and Rodney Johnson director of Medic Institute did not think we had the votes to pass this bill. We are going to try to hold a legislative study to address local funding for EMS. We think this is the best way to keep this issue alive.
John D Harper, Vice President, External Affairs for Public Service Company of Oklahoma and Kenny Sparks, Director of Legislative & Regulatory Affairs for the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives have told Medic Institute they understand the issue and would like to help us find a solution to the problem. While we disagree with them on the issue of a utility fee for EMS we also understand their problem with the bill. We look forward to working with them to protect the people of Oklahoma.
This is a local EMS funding bill. It would allow cities, towns and counties build and establish a stable EMS system with local control. This bill would permit the establishment of an Ambulance District with workable options of spreading the cost across all populations of the district. The cities, towns and counties will support the district according to the populations or households in their jurisdiction.
The bill allows flexibility in structure of the districts to meet the needs of diverse areas of Oklahoma. It also has flexibility in funding; Counties are caped at a 2% sales tax. In this bill the Counties could go above the 2% for ambulance services. Counties, cities and towns could sale subscriptions, bill for service and use utility fees. They could not add a new ad valorem tax (property tax). They could however use one that is already in place. All funding would require a vote of the people. The district also has the option to fund from existing sources.
The bill sets rules that have to be met to set up a district to ensure local support. A petition signed by at least 25% of registered voters in the most recent election, the territory is without adequate ambulance service to meet their needs, the installation, maintenance and operation of an ambulance service is necessary, and the service will be conducive to and will promote the public health, safety, and welfare.
This bill was written by Medic Institute and introduced by Rep. Josh Cockroft (R) of the House and Sen. Charles Wyrick (D) of the Senate. This is a longer term answer to the EMS crises with local control and local support.
Legislative Update HB 2428
House Bill 2428 the Oklahoma Emergency Medical Service Act
Update: the Emergency Medical Service Act passed the Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Health & Social Services by a vote of 5 to 3. The next step for this bill will be the full Appropriations and Budget Committee.
The just of this bill would remove responsibilities for Emergency Medical Services from the Oklahoma State Department of Health and set up a EMS board.
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