By Assemblywoman Alexis Hansen & Senator Ira Hansen
As the State Assembly and Senate members representing a large portion of rural Nevada, we are always looking for ways to protect rural residents, their way of life, and their access to critical services.
Tracking the actions of Federal agencies is very important to our constituents, as the Federal Government plays a big role in rural Nevada.
We recently learned about a rule change by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to cut reimbursement rates for ambulance services at or below the Medicare rate.
The new rule will also deny payment if a veteran is transported to a non-VA facility. Considering that the VA hospital in Reno is well over 100 miles away from most of rural Northern Nevada, this rule will impact active military and veterans who live in Pershing, Lander and Humbolt county.
Did you know that every county in Nevada is considered an ambulance desert? Nevada has the fewest ambulance stations per 1,000 square miles in the country, according to a nationwide study done by the Maine Rural Health Research Center that was published last May.
That statistic gives us even more reason to be concerned about the impact this VA rule will have on rural veterans’ access to medical transportation.
Residents of Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, Denio, Tuscarora, and so many other towns in rural Nevada already experience challenges with ambulance transportation.
This VA rule will close critical links in the health care chain, substantially reduce rural ambulance capacity, limit access to lifesaving medical care for veterans, and disrupt the air and ground ambulance industry across the state.
Over the years, the emergency medical services industry has delivered care to thousands of veterans, especially to those living in rural areas.
The industry’s specialized teams provide more than medical transport; they can be the difference between life or death for a veteran.
There are thousands of veterans living in rural areas around Nevada. Considering all that these veterans have done for our country, this is not the treatment they deserve.
Fortunately, there is a legislative fix to this issue in the works. We urge our U.S. Senators and Representatives to support Montana Senator Jon Tester’s bill, S.2757, the VA Emergency Transportation Access Act, and the companion bill in the House, H.R. 5530.
These bills would bar the VA from reducing reimbursement rates for ground and air ambulances, unless the VA meets certain requirements that ensure rate changes will not reduce veterans’ access to this essential service.
The bill will ensure a review of the actual costs of transport and that new rates are confirmed to reflect the actual costs of transportation, which protects taxpayers. It will also create a forum for air and ground medical service providers to engage with the VA on future reimbursement rate modifications.
Our heroes deserve access to emergency healthcare. The VA should hold our veterans in the same high regard as we all do.
Ira Hansen is the State Senator from District 14. Alexis Hansen is the Assemblywoman representing District 32. Both districts include Humboldt, Lander, and Pershing Counties.