North Columbus News

Congressman Mike Carey (R-OH) announced today that his office is working on legislation to allow seniors to receive emergency medical services at home without needing hospital transport. The proposed bill, the Improving Access to Emergency Medical Services Act, aims to create a pilot program for a treatment-in-place model for Medicare beneficiaries.

“Seniors should have the ability to receive ambulatory and emergency medical services at home for minor issues, without having to be transported to hospitals where they could potentially pick up dangerous infections,” said Rep. Carey. “Our legislation will also help limit emergency room backlogs while ensuring ambulatory services are not stuck ferrying people back and forth for minor issues at the expense of more serious medical emergencies.”

The draft legislation seeks to enable first responders to provide necessary on-site treatment with proper reimbursement, thereby enhancing access to emergency services for senior citizens. The bill mandates that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) test an emergency medical services treatment-in-place model under Medicare.

A similar pilot model was initially implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing EMS providers certain flexibilities. Although it proved efficient in aiding senior citizens without overburdening emergency rooms, these flexibilities were allowed to expire when CMMI ended the pilot.

If adopted, estimates suggest that a treatment-in-place model could save Medicare over one billion dollars.

Congressman Carey has collaborated with various EMS stakeholders, including the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, the American Ambulance Association, the International Association of Fire Fighters, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

During today's Ways and Means hearing, Rep. Carey emphasized the importance of access to emergency care.