AG 1998 09 21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF EQUITABLE MEDICARE/MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL AMBULANCE SERVICES IN NORTH CAROLINA WHEREAS, North Carolina taxpayers pay the same per capita share of federal taxes and payments to the Social Security Trust Fund as do residents of the remaining forty-nine slates; and WHEREAS, usem of Medicare and Medicaid represent over 50% of the payer base for providers of emergency medical ambulance services in North Carolina, due to their medical needs and demand for the service; and WHEREAS, charges for Medicare and Medicaid patients for emergency medical ambulance service consequently represent a significant portion of the total charges for emergency medical ambulance service; and WHEREAS, local governments in North Carolina have provided a commendable level of support to emergency medical services, through capital and operating subsidies which underwrite lower per-patient charges for WHEREAS, this high level of local government support and corresponding low fees for service have been used as justification for payment of unjustly low Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement; and WHEREAS, other states whose costs of providing service are not three times higher than North Carolina's, in fact receive reimbursement at three times what North Carolina receives; and WHEREAS, this failure of the Medicare/Medicaid system to provide equitable reimbursement to North Carolina providers has penalized local governments for their historic support, and has resulted in North Carolina's ranking at the bottom of all 50 states in terms of Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement for emergency medical ambulance services; and WHEREAS, North Carolina is not alone of states with local government support for emergency medical ambulance service, and other similar predominantly rural states having strong local government support also tend to experience lower reimbursement rates; and WHEREAS, the upcoming negotiated rnde-making process being undertaken by the Health Care Financing Administration to establish a Medicare fee schedule for emergency medical ambulance service represents an outstanding opportunity to correct inequities in the system; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cabarms County Board of Commissioners fully supports the appointment of a representative of the North Carolina Association of EMS Administrators to the negotiated nde-making body being appointed by the Health Care Financing Administration to address Medicare fees, to represent the interests of both North Carolina and other states in similar circumstances. ADOPTED THIS 21't DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 1998. ATTEST: Frankie F. Bonds, Clerk to the Board Sue B. Casper, Chair Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners