August 21, 2006
The Department of State Health Services has updated the Memorandum of Agreement for Mutual Aid in Disasters for Ground Ambulance Providers (MOA). After consulting with a wide array of EMS providers across the state, DSHS determined that it is in the best interest of the state and EMS providers to update the MOA with enhanced reimbursement rates. The revisions were made to ensure that EMS providers receive compensation sufficient to cover their costs when assisting in state-declared disasters.
A summary of the major revisions are as follows:
- DSHS plans to reimburse DSHS Licensed EMS Providers from the time they leave their service area until they return to their service area after DSHS issues a demobilization order.
- DSHS will reimburse municipalities or governmental providers’ actual labor costs plus fringe benefits for two (2) crew members.
- The DSHS Licensed EMS Providers will be able to invoice DSHS for the net of reimbursement. (Example: If the DSHS Licensed EMS Provider receives $300 from a primary source of reimbursement such as Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance or a third-party provider, the $300 will be deducted from the total hourly rate for the mission.)
- DSHS has removed the clause that DSHS Licensed EMS Providers will be reimbursed for “response-ready” time. DSHS will reimburse DSHS Licensed EMS Providers for the total hours deployed minus the payments received from primary sources of reimbursements as described above.
- DSHS Licensed EMS Providers are permitted to invoice DSHS for overtime hours (defined by the provider’s current policy during its normal course of business) worked for two (2) crew members required to fill the regularly scheduled shift left empty by the crew that is deployed on a state mission or state facility evacuation. (Example: The “A-shift” crew is on duty and is the crew that is sent for a state mission or state facility evacuation. They are still deployed for their next regularly scheduled shift. DSHS Licensed EMS Providers can invoice DSHS for only overtime hours for the crew that fills the A-shift’s schedule.)
- DSHS will reimburse DSHS Licensed EMS Providers a maximum of $50.00 per crew member per deployment (maximum of $100.00) for items needed for the crew to be self-sufficient during the deployment. These items will include such things as food, water, and personal care items. DSHS Licensed EMS Providers must keep receipts for these items and must submit them to DSHS when they submit an invoice to DSHS.
The MOA can be downloaded from the link below. Review the terms of the MOA carefully. If you choose to enter into this agreement, please return two signed MOAs with original signatures on both to:
Maxie Bishop , State EMS Director
Office of EMS and Trauma Systems Coordination - MC1876
Attention: State Disaster MOA
PO Box 149347
Austin, Texas 78714-9347
If you have questions regarding the information within the MOA, please contact Maxie Bishop at (512) 834-6737 (maxie.bishop@dshs.state.tx.us ) or Phil Lockwood at (512)-834-6700, ext. 2032 (Phil.Lockwood@dshs.state.tx.us) . Thank you in advance for your service to the citizens of the State of Texas.
Revised Memorandum of Agreement Mutual Aid in Disaster: Ground Ambulances