9 things you need to know about the Supporting Our First Responders Act

If passed, the recently reintroduced  Supporting Our First Responders Act could help EMS agencies with common concerns such as hiring and retention, training reimbursements, facility upgrades and establishing or supporting existing paramedicine initiatives.

Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know about the legislation.

1. New grants. The measure would authorize $50 million per year for a new Department of Health and Human Services grant program. The program would allow public, private and nonprofit EMS agencies that provide medical services, along with state and local governments to apply for the grants to: 

• Hire, recruit, and retain trained medical personnel
• Support the well-being of EMS personnel
• Provide reimbursement for required training sessions
• Construct and modify existing facilities
• Upgrade and purchase new equipment, medication and vehicles
• Establish or support existing community paramedicine or mobile integrated healthcare initiatives

2. Extended reauthorization. The $50 million grant program would be authorized for five years.

3. Technical help. The legislation also includes $5 million a year in technical assistance to assist EMS agencies with navigating the grant application process.

4. Documentation. The bill requires three reports from the secretary of Health and Human Services.

• One report to Congress would detail the challenges, disparities and inadequacies in providing federal and private reimbursement for EMS and recommend action.
• Another report to Congress would detail the challenges specific to rural EMS departments and to nonaffiliated EMS departments, then develop action plans to address those challenges via grants and other administrative action.
• The third type of report to Congress would detail the feasibility of establishing a lead Federal office to implement recommendations, improve advocacy and collect data for EMS personnel.

5. ET3 extension. The legislation would permanently extend the Emergency Triage, Treatment, and Travel (ET3) Model, first developed by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services as a way to reimburse EMS agencies for services that do not involve hospital transport. Permanently extending this practice, which was waived at the beginning of the pandemic, would let EMS agencies be reimbursed for treatment-in-place or alternative transport.

6. Bipartisan backing. U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Rep. Mike Carey (R-Ohio) re-introduced the bill on March 17, 2023. The bill was first introduced in September, 2022, by seven U.S. House members – Kim, Carey, now-former Rep. Cindy Axne (D-Iowa), now-former Rep. Al Lawson (D-Fla.), Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas), now-former Rep. turned Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.)

7. Industry support. Beyond Congress, the bill’s supporters include Bound Tree Medical, the International Association of EMS Chiefs and the National Association of Counties.

8. A game-changer. One thing the bill would not do: Make EMS an essential service in all 50 states. Most states do not classify EMS as essential. This means federal or state funding is still not a given for agencies in most states. But if this bill passes, it would be a game-changer.

9. What happens next? That’s up to lawmakers in the House. The bill died in the 117^th Congress, which is why it had to be re-introduced in the current session. House members could consider the bill, approve it and pass it to the Senate, which could approve it (or not) and send it to President Joe Biden to sign (or not). The House also could add the contents of the bill into another bill. Or they could let the measure die again.

OTHER NOTEWORTHY LEGISLATION

• Biden signs bill extending Medicare add-on payments for 2 years
• U.S. spending bill includes $6.5M for Maine health care providers
• Ky. House bill aims to ease shortage of EMS providers, other healthcare workers
• Bills would require FDNY to give EMS providers body armor, self-defense training
• Gov. Mike DeWine raises recruitment, wellness support for Ohio first responders by $20M
• W.Va. Senate OKs bill to let tactical medical professionals with SWAT teams carry weapons