June 8th, 2022 by WCBC Radio
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH), in partnership with the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS), today announced more than $81 million in funding to Jurisdictional Emergency Medical Services Operational Programs (JEMSOPs).
The funding, made available by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), offsets costs incurred by eligible emergency medical service (EMS) jurisdictions that delivered ground emergency medical care and transportation (ambulance) services to Medicaid participants between October 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021.
“We welcome these federal dollars to directly reimburse some of the costs of providing emergency medical services in the state,” said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader. “This funding will strengthen the ability of EMS to better meet Medicaid participants’, and all Marylanders’, emergency care needs.”
MDH will disperse funding through the Emergency Service Transporter Supplemental Payment Program (ESPP), a voluntary program that provides supplemental federal payments to eligible public JEMSOPs. No new state general funds are needed to support the program.
More than 80% of all emergency service transports provided to Medicaid members — and 23% of all emergency service transports overall by participating JEMSOPs — are eligible for a supplemental payment.
The following 13 JEMSOPs will receive funding:
- Allegany
- City of Annapolis
- Anne Arundel
- Baltimore City
- Baltimore County
- Caroline
- Dorchester
- Frederick
- Harford
- Howard
- Montgomery
- Prince George's
- Queen Anne's
“MIEMSS partnered with the Maryland Department of Health to implement the ESPP Program so EMS could secure additional funding needed to respond to 9-1-1 emergencies,” said Dr. Ted Delbridge, MIEMSS Executive Director. “These funds will help local EMS programs offset costs to deliver care to Maryland’s Medicaid patients in their communities.”
The ESPP Program will continue for the foreseeable future to provide annual federal reimbursement for EMS Medicaid costs. JEMSOPs that did not participate in the first year of the program may be able to participate in the ESPP if they meet the eligibility requirements and sign an agreement with the Maryland Medicaid Program.
