Jones, fire officials celebrate billing legislation

May 14—ALTONA — With the recent inclusion of the Fair Play Ambulance Cost Recovery Act in the 2022-2023 state budget, New York will now join the other 49 states that already allowed volunteer fire departments to recover the costs of providing emergency medical services.

State Assemblyman D. Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake), who sponsored the Fair Play Ambulance Cost Recovery Act and fought for its passage for several years, celebrated the long-awaited news with fire and EMS officials from Altona, Ellenburg Center, Ellenburg Depot, Rouses Point, Morrisonville, Schuyler Falls and West Chazy at the Altona Fire Department Friday.

"Everyone you see here has done so much for this bill, for this legislation — and continues to do so much for our communities," Jones said at the event.

"To have this implemented...will help local volunteer fire departments perform the duties that they need to do in their communities. We always said this piece of legislation was about the people in the communities — about the people that these fine volunteers serve day in and day out."

'CAME AS A DETRIMENT'

Chairman of the Altona Board of Fire Commissioners Ryan Blondo said fire districts and fire departments have been relying on taxpayers to cover the costs of emergency medical services.

"Here in Altona, over two-thirds of our annual operating budget is earmarked for ambulance service — this is completely funded by local taxpayers," Blondo said.

"Many times, the high costs of the ambulance service came as a detriment to our firefighting service, who were forced to use old gear, old equipment and outdated vehicles. We could not afford to buy better for them (because) much of our funding went to the ambulance support."

CAN RECOUP COSTS

Ambulance corporations and paid-ambulance services have been allowed to bill patient's medical insurance providers for the cost of services, but volunteer fire departments and fire districts, who also provide EMS coverage, were previously unable to do the same.

The passage of the Fair Play Ambulance Cost Recovery Act will now lessen that financial burden on taxpayers and local fire departments, Blondo said.

"With the Fair Play Ambulance Recovery Act now passed, we can recoup costs for an emergency ambulance call from private insurers, Medicare and Medicaid," he said.

"These funds can be used to help manage our district, specifically, to fund our fire service. In our district alone, we estimate that we should see revenues of between $100,000 and $200,000 annually through cost recovery."

Passing this bill has long been a priority for the Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY), the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs and the Association of Fire Districts of the State of New York.

"This legislation will help ease the financial burden on fire departments and help increase training, staffing, and equipment," Second Vice President of the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs Scott Ewing said.

"Countless New Yorkers depend on local volunteer fire departments for ambulance services and this legislation will help ambulance providers and fire departments to recover the costs of EMS calls and ensure that all New Yorkers receive a prompt response if they dial 911. We thank Assemblyman Jones for his hard work in ensuring this legislation was included in the State budget."

CLOSED DOWN DEPARTMENTS

Many volunteer fire departments across New York have had to close due to the EMS costs and have left rural areas without proper EMS coverage, Clinton County Emergency Services Director and Representative for the New York State Fire Coordinators' Association Eric Day said.

"Other parts of the state, as recently as a couple weeks ago...they have fire departments just closing their doors," Day said.

"Let's just say Altona went away...people still need an ambulance (service), so that has to come from somewhere else...chances are it comes from farther away which is a reduced level of care for those folks that are in need."

It's still uncertain whether the rural fire departments that closed in New York will be able to reopen with the passage of this bill, Day said.

A LIFELINE

The Fair Play Ambulance Cost Recovery Act will also help volunteer fire departments across the state recoup $100 million in EMS costs, Jones said.

"We're estimating that in the first couple years of implementation of this, $100 million will be provided for these services for volunteer fire departments — $3 million of which is going right here to North Country volunteer fire departments," he said.

"It will be a lifeline for struggling fire departments and the volunteers who work in those departments to provide the equipment that...they need so desperately and help lessen the burden on our local taxpayers...It's a good day."

Email: cnewton@pressrepublican.com

Twitter: CarlySNewton