TEMSA Action Alert: COVID-19

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1. EMS Grants: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The American Ambulance Association (AAOS) has asked HHS to provide one-time grants to EMS agencies.

Click here to view the letter.

Your Ask

Ask your state lawmakers and local officials to contact their Members of Congress to ask them to encourage HHS to provide these grants to EMS agencies.

In addition, contact your Members of Congress. This is a federal request.

2. State Supplemental Payments: Texas Health and Human Services Commission

Texas HHSC has the ability to create supplemental Medicaid payments for Texas EMS agencies in their efforts to respond to COVID-19.

Each state’s Medicaid program received a 6.2 percent federal match increase to help provide relief to states during the COVID-19 crisis. This is great news and will offer some measure of relief to providers and suppliers that are facing increased costs and lower revenue. But we must speak out and ensure that EMS is included in the distribution of funds.

Currently, HHSC is considering the best way to utilize these increased funds to assist Medicaid providers in their response to COVID-19. No group is more on the front lines than EMS. Although we are a tiny segment of the health care spend, with no relief, we could see EMS agencies laying off employees, reducing services, or even closing down. This will have a ripple effect through the rest of the health care community.

We need you to speak up now! Please contact your county judge, commissioners, state representatives, and state senators. We have to do what we can to ensure that HHSC includes Medicaid add-on payments for EMS as they consider what to do with the increased Medicaid funds.

Your Ask

Reach out to your state lawmakers, governor, and HHSC leadership to ask them to provide supplemental Medicaid payments to Texas EMS agencies for the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a state request.