A commission of lawmakers, government officials and emergency medical service providers is recommending new funding and increases in workforce benefits to help Maine’s struggling emergency medical system.
In a new report posted this week on the website of Maine Emergency Medical Services, the Blue Ribbon Commission to Study Emergency Medical Services in Maine lists a series of recommendations for improving EMS and boosting retention.
“EMS in the State is in crisis,” the report says. “EMS services in Maine are at the edge of a cliff, or over it, and changes must occur to ensure that when someone calls with a medical emergency, EMS services are able and ready to assist.”
The commission’s recommendations include a call for $70 million per year in state funding for transport emergency medical services over the next five years – money it says is critical to keep EMS running and avoid provider closures. The report says the funding would help cover gaps between the cost of running services and insurance reimbursements and subsidies.
It also calls for the Legislature to dedicate $25 million of the $70 million each year for EMS departments at risk of immediately failing and leaving their area without adequate service, and for an additional $6 million per year for non-transport EMS. Non-transport services generally respond to the scene of medical emergencies to provide immediate medical care, but do not provide patient transport.
The commission is also calling for increases in education and benefits to support EMS workers. It is asking that the state explore providing health care and retirement benefits to non-municipal nonprofit licensed EMS, and that the Legislature fully fund the Length of Service Award Program, which provides retirement contributions to eligible part-time and volunteer firefighters and first responders.
Finally, the report calls on lawmakers to order the University of Maine System and Maine Community College System to convene a stakeholder work group to explore EMS career pathways and educational opportunities and come up with recommendations.
Attempts to reach Sen. Chip Curry, D-Belfast, and House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland, the co-chairs of the commission, for more details on the recommendations and when the funding proposals might be realized were unsuccessful Saturday night.
Spokespeople for Gov. Janet Mills did not respond to an inquiry about whether the funding is included in the governor’s recently released biennial budget proposal.
According to Maine EMS, the report will now be submitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
“The commission hopes that the findings and recommendations contained in this report demonstrate not only the dire need within the EMS system but also the first steps towards ensuring both the short-term and long-term sustainability of the system,” the report says.
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