Committee hears testimony on HB 1597 to adjust rural ambulance grant formula

House Human Services Committee members heard testimony on House Bill 1597 on ambulance funding, a bill Representative Pat Heinert said would revise how the state's rural ambulance assistance grant is distributed.

The bill "is a ambulance bill to assist ambulances in some payment on a number of runs they make and other things," Representative Pat Heinert, District 32, said when introducing the measure (Rep. Heinert, testimony, 00:02:45). He told the committee an amendment was expected that would address concerns raised by some ambulance services.

Why it matters: The bill would change elements of the formula the Department of Health and Human Services uses to distribute a fixed appropriation for rural ambulance support. Witnesses said the appropriation itself does not change under the bill; the proposal changes who qualifies and how funds are split.

Bill Kalanick, representing the North Dakota EMS…