South Kingstown EMS pushes state bill and local support to allow billing for community paramedicine

South Kingstown EMS officials told the council on Feb. 10 they are pursuing state legislative changes and local agreements to enable billing for community paramedicine and other non‑transport services.

Council Member Ali and EMS leaders discussed Senate bill number referenced in the meeting (noted as 2389 in council correspondence) that would permit ambulance services and community paramedic programs to submit plans meeting minimum requirements and bill for certain services. EMS leaders said Medicare and Medicaid currently provide limited reimbursement for community paramedicine visits and that the town is seeking both state authorization and payer agreements.

The EMS team said federal grant funding that supported the program will expire in May and that they are pursuing multiple avenues: (1) legislative change to enable Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement; (2) local MOUs with South County Hospital and Integra to create fee‑for‑service pathways; and (3) negotiations with insurers where possible. EMS staff asked the council to consider a formal resolution supporting the legislation and to help advocate with the state delegation. Council members signaled support and asked EMS to send sample text for a council resolution and invited council members to testify with them to legislators.

EMS leaders and council members emphasized the public‑health benefits: community paramedicine can reduce unnecessary emergency‑department visits by addressing primary‑care access for homebound residents, perform in‑home blood draws, and help coordinate care. EMS staff said roughly 40% of their transports are Medicare patients and that widening non‑transport billing could help sustain services that fill primary care gaps in the community.