Promote Patient-Centered, Quality & Efficient Field EMS
Talking Points for Meetings with Members of Congress on H.R. 809

Strengthen Field EMS at the Federal, State, and Local Levels for All Patients Who Need Them

  • Field EMS is an Essential Public Function

All levels of government share a responsibility to ensure quality and effective emergency medical preparedness and response for everyday and catastrophic events.

 Local governments are responsible for ensuring the availability and provision of everyday life-saving Field EMS – either directly, or on a contractual or volunteer basis.

States are responsible for licensure of medical practitioners, oversight of emergency medical care and the State EMS system, as well as for ensuring the overall State preparedness and coordinated response.

The federal government oversees the nation’s medical preparedness and response. Regardless of the model of EMS care delivery – whether governmental, nonprofit, private or volunteer – all EMS providers fulfill an essential public function for all patients in need. In order for EMS to successfully fulfill this essential public function, it must be supported by all levels of government.

  • The Institute of Medicine in 2006 identified critical challenges facing field EMS:

insufficient coordination

disparities in response times

lack of readiness and inadequate federal funding for disaster preparedness

divided professional identification of EMS personnel

a limited evidence base of emergency medical interventions.[1]

  • The Field EMS Quality, Innovation, Cost-Effectiveness Improvement Act (H.R. 809), introduced by Rep. Larry Bucshon (R -IN) addresses these challengesaffecting field EMS.
  • The legislation would address the systemic problems plaguing field EMS by:

Implementing key IOM's recommendations -- including the designation of HHS as the primary federal agency for EMS to better integrate EMS within the larger health system to ensure continuity of care from the patient's perspective;

Enhancing federal support -- for EMS agencies, states and educational entities, and for EMS research to promote high quality field EMS; and consolidating existing programs within HHS into one Office of EMS and Trauma;

Evaluating and testing new EMS delivery and payment models -- with the goal of improving outcomes and lowering costs;

Fulfilling public expectations -- better enabling EMS to fulfill public expectations that all Americans can depend upon high quality care and transport to the right setting no matter where they live.

  • The legislation does not add to the federal deficit.New programs would be funded by voluntary contributions made by taxpayers when filing their federal income tax forms.

House Meeting Request

  • I respectfully request that you cosponsor the Field EMS Quality, Innovation, and Cost-Effectiveness Improvements Act.
  • To cosponsor the legislation, please have a member of your staff contact Teresa Buckley with Representative Bucshon's office.

Senate Meeting Request

  • I respectfully request that you support efforts to promote and cosponsor similar legislation once a companion bill is introduced in the Senate.

Current House Sponsor and Co-Sponsors

These House Representatives should be thanked for their support of the Field EMS Bill.

Sponsor:

•Rep. Larry Bucshon (IN-8)

Co-Sponsors:

•Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR-3)

•Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1)

•Rep. John Carney (DE)

•Rep. Andre Carson (IN-7)

•Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-4)

•Rep. John Duncan (TN-2)

•Rep. Stephen Fincher (TN-8)

•Rep. Sam Graves (MO-6)

•Rep. Joe Heck (NV-3)

•Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12)

•Rep. Dave Loebsack (IA-5)

•Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3)

•Rep. Michael Michaud (ME-2)

•Rep. Rich Nugent (FL-11)

•Rep. Collin Peterson (MN-7)

•Rep. Phil Roe (TN-1)

•Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-36)

•Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15)

•Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-7)

[1] 2006 Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report, "Emergency Medical Services: At the Crossroads"