Trumansburg Deputy Mayor Ben Carver recently gave a presentation to the Tompkins County Council of Governments (TCCOG) where he addressed the topic of financial strain on rural emergency medical services (EMS).
Carver suggested the TCCOG revisit the non-profit model for EMS services, which many rural communities rely on as lower call frequencies mean less potential billing revenue. Carver explained that EMS services have become too expensive to be supported by resources of small, rural municipalities.
The presentation given on February 24, 2022 is based on a report co-authored by Carver and four other students from the Cornell Institute of Public Affairs (CIPA), according to Ithaca Voice.
Carver’s report found that between 2016 and 2021, the average municipal EMS spending in Tompkins County increased by 76%, which mirrors trends in national healthcare spending. During the presentation, he expressed a desire for pressure to be taken off municipalities and for the state to organize an EMS network.
RELATED: Bill co-sponsored by State Senator Pam Helming creating rural ambulance task force signed into law
In January 2022, NYS Governor signed a bill into law to establish a 12-member task force to study challenges faced by rural ambulance companies.
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