Kuyahoora Valley Ambulance Corps may have to close due to low membership and high costs and other organizations could follow if something doesn’t change.
“This is becoming a crisis in Upstate New York,” said Assemblyman Robert Smullen.
Greg Eisenhut has worn many hats over the years, but he’s currently the Mohawk Valley Ambulance Corps’ President.
It’s allowed him to have an in-depth understanding of challenges facing rural ambulances.
“There’s a disaster waiting to happen here unless the system is fixed,” Eisenhut said.
MOVAC transitioned to paid staff years ago, but the rural service is also struggling due to low payments from Medicaid and Medicare, which is what covers most of their patients.
“We cut all forms of waste that we can cut,” Eisenhut said. “We patched together ambulances that probably are worn out and outdated because no bank will give us financing.”
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