Omnibus tracks new ambulance grants and raises MA ambulance payment rates

The DE2 omnibus amendment includes provisions and tracked costs for emergency medical services. Nonpartisan staff told the committee the Office of Emergency Medical Services would administer an ambulance operating-deficit grant program and a rural EMS uncompensated care pool payment program. The amendment also tracks an increase of 13.68% to Medical Assistance (MA) payment rates for ambulance services.

Nonpartisan staff identified the ambulance items in the bill and pointed to spreadsheet lines that track costs to the Office of EMS (DE2 lines 1650 and 1651) and a line referencing a 13.68% MA payment-rate increase for ambulance services. Eric Simonson, representing the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, told the committee those provisions are “going to make the difference for a lot of struggling ambulance providers across Greater Minnesota” and said the measures will help keep ambulance services operating and improve response reliability in rural areas.

Simonson also supported the increase in MA ambulance reimbursement, saying the combination of grants and higher payments will help providers who face negative operating margins and other financial pressures. Nonpartisan fiscal staff and committee members discussed how the provisions would be implemented by the Office of EMS and tracked in the DE2 appropriation language.

Ending: The committee heard support from Greater Minnesota advocates and staff but took no formal action at this hearing; the EMS provisions remain part of the DE2 pending further budget negotiations and federal approvals where applicable.