BY JIMMY LAWTON

North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG — Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush wants to close an insurance loophole that allowed patients to pocket reimbursements for ambulance services.

Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C-Black River) hopes to see the “EMS Direct Pay” bill (A.250-A) become law.

The current system allows insurance companies to pay ambulance service charges directly to the patient unless the ambulance company has a preferred provider relationship with that specific insurance company.

“Unfortunately, not all ambulance companies can establish preferred provider relationships with every insurance company and they often have to collect payment from the patient, which is not always successful. This legislation would cut out the patient as the middleman to ensure a fair and direct compensation process for EMS/ambulance services in New York state, Blankenbush said.

It’s created a dire financial situation for small rescue agencies like the Ogdensburg Volunteer Rescue Squad.

“During the past two years patients have received nearly $200,000.00 in payments for our services and have not returned those payments to us. During the past 12 months 59 patients have kept insurance payments ranging from $7.37 to $14,370. One patient has received and kept over $19,000.00 for 22 transports by the OVRS and other area ambulance services,” ”Rescue Squad Chief Ken Gardner said in a statement issued in March.

“The OVRS depends upon the insurance payments for the transports that we make to stay in existence. We receive very little in the way of tax dollars from the communities we serve. While greatly appreciated, your donations do not make up for the lost revenue.

“This lost revenue inhibits our ability to provide adequate staffing, and upgrade our equipment and vehicles,” he said.

Gardner said then that OVRS and other NYS ambulance services have been pushing for legislation requiring insurance companies to make payments directly to the provider. Unfortunately, Gardner said the insurance company lobby has more influence with the legislature than the ambulance and other health care providers do.

“We are taking all available legal steps to recover these funds. In the meantime, we are counting on your honesty to help keep us financially solvent and able to continue to provide the quality,” he said.

Gardner’s efforts though haven’t fallen on deaf ears. Blankenbush says he supports the effort.

“I am urging Gov. Hochul to sign this bill into law to alleviate the stress on EMS workers,” said Blankenbush. “The quick availability of an ambulance response is crucial during a medical crisis. This service is something New Yorkers can rely on. However, it does come at a cost and if emergency services can’t cover their expenses, they can’t operate efficiently. It only makes sense to have insurance providers directly pay for ambulance services and not have the patient responsible for covering that cost through compensation. Thank you to all medical staffers for your selflessness and dedication to others. I voted yes on this bill and will continue to advocate for it until it is signed and officially streamlines the payment process.”