Changes present
an unparalleled
opportunity for eMs
tfoxfoto/ istock.com
>> By Teresa Mccallion, eMT-B
The following article is part one of two in an EMS Insider exclusive series on healthcare changes. The Insider, the premier publication
for EMS managers, supervisors, chiefs and medical directors, is a must-have resource for the critical, accurate information EMS leaders
need. The monthly publication offers quality investigative reporting, exclusive articles, management tips and the very latest news on
legislative issues, grants, current trends and controversies. For more about how to become an Insider, go to www.jems.com/ems-insider.
The landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the constitutionality of the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
could become a watershed moment for EMS,
according to number of EMS leaders. The five-
to-four decision by the justices may open the
door for the kind of opportunities to deliver
patient care outside the narrow confines
of the traditional prehospital emergency
system. The question now is: “How will we
step up and define how our organizations
move forward?”
The Supreme Court decision upheld the
individual mandate with a twist. Although
the federal government doesn’t have the
power to force citizens to purchase health
insurance, it can impose a tax on those
who choose to go without coverage. All
other provisions of the healthcare law, often
referred to as “Obamacare,” including the
Medicaid provision (with modifications) and
the section establishing accountable care
organizations (ACOs), were upheld.
