'Air Medical Services Need Support To Ensure Their Sustainability'

Noting that, "In order to ensure the readiness necessary to meet the emergency healthcare needs of the communities air ambulances serve now and once the crisis lifts, air medical services need support to ensure their sustainability for the duration of this public health emergency, These communities are counting on the uninterrrupted access to emergency air medical services now and in a postCOVID-19 world," the Association Of Air Medical Services has begun a campaign to address some of their concerns.

Last week, the Association Of Air Medical Services (AAMS) leadership requested that Congress consider the following for the next legislation addressing the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Appropriate $815,920,000 in additional Public Health and Social Service Emergency Fund (PHSSEF) grants specifically for air ambulance providers to cover the 40% average loss in patient volume our members are currently experiencing and anticipate will continue over the next 6 months of this crisis.
• Direct CMS to implement a temporary increase of 65% in the Medicare Fee Schedule for rotor and fixed-wing air ambulance to help cover the loss of revenue associated with the uncompensated care due to rising numbers of individuals losing employer-based health coverage. AAMS anticipates this payor mix deterioration to continue for the duration of the crisis and would ask that this increase be in place for the duration of the declared national emergency.

FMI: https://aams.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AAMS-COVID-19-Letter-to-Senate-Leadership_041720.pdf