Budget Amendment ID: FY2024-S3-416

EHS 416

Hospital-Based EMS Grants

Messrs. Finegold and Collins moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, by inserting after item 4000-1701 the following item:-

“xxxx-xxxx For one-time grants administered by the executive office of health and human services for New England Life Flight, Inc., d/b/a Boston MedFlight, and hospital-based emergency medical services providers to address the ongoing emergency medical services workforce shortage and current hospital capacity crisis through staffing investments and incentives to recruit and retain both paramedics and emergency medicine technicians, and initiatives to relieve emergency department crowding and patient boarding. For the purposes of this item, “hospital-based emergency medical services providers” shall be defined as emergency medical services providers owned and operated by a hospital, as defined under section 51 of chapter 111 of the General Laws, or a health system anchored by one or more hospitals, as defined under said chapter; provided, however, that priority shall be given to hospital-based emergency medical services providers: (i) serving high Medicaid and Medicare populations in underserved areas of the commonwealth; (ii) experiencing low emergency medical services staffing levels; or (iii) experiencing emergency department capacity challenges and high levels of patient boarding; provided further, that staffing investments shall include sufficient funding for culturally and linguistically competent workforce recruitment, retention and training, including, but not limited to: (i) loan repayment programs; (ii) reimbursement for personnel training; or (iii) hiring and retention incentives to support the full spectrum of hospital-based emergency medical services providers; and provided further, that funds may be expended to establish or support community paramedicine or mobile integrated health care initiatives. Not later than November 1, 2023, the executive office of health and human services shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means, and the joint committee on health care financing detailing: (i) the funds distributed, delineated by hospital or health system; (ii) a description of workforce recruitment and hiring efforts funded to mitigate staffing shortages; and (iii) projected staffing and funding necessary to meet the emergency medical services workforce needs of all hospital-based emergency medical services providers……………$2,000,000”.