Wisconsin’s Governor Tony Evers https://www.evers.wi.gov during his State of the State address on February 15, 2022, has plans to support and stabilize the state’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system across the state.
The Governor’s plan includes supplementing the Funding Assistance Program (FAP) which provides annual grants to all public ambulance service providers, including volunteer fire departments, nonprofits, and counties and municipalities.
The goal is to create the new grant program to help those providers who are not eligible for FAP and fund a 16% reimbursement rate increase for private and municipal ambulance providers for emergency medical transportation.
“We’ve expanded access to telehealth services, protected healthcare for people in the state who have preexisting conditions, and have worked to reduce the costs for prescription drug prices,” said the Governor during his address. “But we also know there is a great need for emergency services and responders in the rural communities.”
Under the Governor’s plan, every emergency medical service and emergency medical response provider will qualify for funding. As provided through the state’s federal American Rescue Plan Act funding, $20 million will go to EMS providers across the state for whatever help they need the most. The funding can be used to increase staffing support, provide more training for first responders, and to purchase an ambulance, medical equipment, or supplies. Of the $20 million, $8 million will go to FAP, and the remaining $12 million in grants will go to small, underserved providers.