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Senator Grant Hauschild (DFL-Hermantown) was in Washington D.C. recently to meet with members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation and White House officials to discuss the EMS reforms and aids passed in the MN Legislature, the challenges continuing to face rural EMS, and what can be done at the federal level to address it.
“This year we did take steps to shore up EMS at the state level, but it won’t be enough to address the crisis facing everyone who depends on it - from rural communities and residents to the first responders who do this work,” said Hauschild.
“The best way to tackle this challenge is through federal action, and these meetings are essential to finding a path forward so every Minnesotan gets the first responder care they need.”
Hauschild joined his fellow legislators from the State EMS Task Force for in-person meetings with Rep. Angie Craig, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and Sen. Tina Smith, and meetings with staff from the offices of Rep. Michelle Fischbach, Rep. Brad Finstad, and Rep. Betty McCollum. The group also met with Rachel West of the Domestic Policy Council at the White House.
The discussions centered on the funding and workforce challenges facing EMS in rural Minnesota with an eye to potential federal proposals to address these issues.
These included the issue of non-transport on site care reimbursement for EMS services, the potential creation of ‘critical access ambulance providers’ similar to critical access hospitals with special reimbursements, improving the Medicare reimbursement rates for rural ambulance services, and to address workforce needs, block grants for recruitment and retention of first responders.
“We know this is literally a lifeor- death issue for the members of our community and for Minnesotans across the state, and we’re working from the local, state, and federal level wants to find a path forward,” said Hauschild.
“Following these meetings, I’m more optimistic than ever that we will succeed in establishing a sustainable path forward that stabilizes EMS and ensures this care is available to everyone who relies on it.”
Additional meetings with Rep. Pete Stauber and Rep. Tom Emmer were scheduled.
