EMS emergency widens despite millions invested in 2024
The Brief
Minnesota's EMS emergency has not been resolved and directors are urgently asking the legislature for more money.
They declared an emergency last year and said it would take $120 million to fix, but only received $30 million.
This time around, they're asking for $50 million per year, plus continuing workforce investments, and an adjustment to Medicare-Medicaid reimbursements.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Lawmakers are getting urgent requests for money to keep Minnesota's EMS system from folding, just a year after getting $30 million to address the issue.
Costly to prepare
The paramedics at Perham EMS cover 400 square miles of Otter Tail County.
It's mostly rural and lake country, so it's not especially busy, but the equipment and personnel always need to be ready to go, which can be costly.
"Because of the large areas we are responsible for, we can't just run fewer trucks or scale back service," said Perham Area EMS director Becca Huebsch. "Because when someone calls 911, they need immediate expert care."
What got funded
Rural emergency medical services announced their own emergency last year and said they needed $120 million to fix it and keep ambulances running in Greater Minnesota.
They got about $30 million.
Perham EMS used its portion to retrofit an old ambulance so it could stay in service. They also worked on a rapid response pilot project to help fill staffing gaps.
But they still need a lot more help.
"These rural services are so underwater that even the little bit of aid they get didn't make a dent," said Sen. Grant Hauschild, (DFL-Hermantown).
New funding request
Instead of asking for the $90 million EMS directors didn't get last year, they're now asking for $50 million every year.
They want the workforce investment to continue, and they want to the state to fix as much of the Medicare-Medicaid reimbursement as they can.
Right now, they only get reimbursed if they drop off a patient at the E.R.
And they say any changes at the federal level could make the situation even worse.
"If there are cuts to the Medicare or Medicaid programs, even by a percentage or two, it's devastating to our ambulance services," said Michael Juntunen, president of the Minnesota Ambulance Association.
What's next
Fitting $50 million into a shrinking budget will be tough, but legislators from both parties are working on this and hoping they can find some room.
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