Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C-Black River) today announced support for the 2023 “EMS Direct Pay” bill (A.250-A). The current system allows insurance companies to pay ambulance service charges directly to the patient unless the ambulance company has a preferred provider relationship with that specific insurance company. Unfortunately, not all ambulance companies can establish preferred provider relationships with every insurance company and they often have to collect payment from the patient, which is not always successful. This legislation would cut out the patient as the middleman to ensure a fair and direct compensation process for EMS/ambulance services in New York state.

“I am urging Governor Hochul to sign this bill into law to alleviate the stress on EMS workers,” said Blankenbush. “The quick availability of an ambulance response is crucial during a medical crisis. This service is something New Yorkers can rely on. However, it does come at a cost and if emergency services can’t cover their expenses, they can’t operate efficiently. It only makes sense to have insurance providers directly pay for ambulance services and not have the patient responsible for covering that cost through compensation. Thank you to all medical staffers for your selflessness and dedication to others. I voted yes on this bill and will continue to advocate for it until it is signed and officially streamlines the payment process.”