OKLAHOMA EMS COALITION

FYI FACTS:

• In the past 5 years almost 50 ambulance services have closed
• Of the 77 counties in Oklahoma only 22 provide paramedic level care- this may only be one service in the entire county
• Medicare reimbursement to ground ambulance providers is scheduled to continue to decline until 2010
• The majority of the public believes that they are recieving paramedic level care when they call an ambulance
• In 2012 the state and the National Registry will require that all graduates of a paramedic program come from an accredited institution in order to sit for the NR exam and become licensed
• EMS is currently the only health occupation that does not require that students attend an accredited institution

• On October 12, 2007, Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) introduced HR3822, a bill which would extend the federal public safety officer (death) benefits from governmental police and fire to include non-governmental
  and volunteer firefighters, ground and air ambulance crew members, and first responders.

• The Governor mentioned EMS in the State of the State Address
• $2.26 million was mentioned in the Governor's budget for EMS- which we will not get this year...
• Board of Health Resolution mentions EMS as in crisis

OSDH LINKS

• Critical & Unstable
• Hand Out
• Senate in Red Map
• House in Red Map
• Gov Task Force Report 
• Rural EMS Report