How do volunteer ambulance squads fit into this issue?
Volunteer ambulance squads will not be affected by the proposed solutions to this crisis. Save the Paramedics NJ supports volunteers and the vital services they provide.
For decades, Paramedics with advanced life saving training have worked side by side with volunteer ambulance services. To preserve the valuable role of volunteers, regulations were imposed to allow only basic ambulance services to transport a patient. The Paramedics work seamlessly with volunteers, who transport patients free of charge. However, municipalities increasingly rely on paid ambulance companies who bill for the basic life support (BLS) portion of emergency services, displacing the volunteers and hurting the paramedic system. When Paramedics are needed to treat Medicare patients that are transported by paid BLS ambulance services that replaced volunteers, Medicare reimbursement is siphoned away from the Paramedics.
