The states need to take over EMS

[DPM]

Those were merely examples of ways in which this country is failing it's own population, I didn't say that EMS would fix the problems. If we can trust our policing and our fire protection to local government, why can we not do it with EMS? Everyone else in the modern / developed world seems to manage, with comparable or higher survival rates and lower cost per person.

 

[JPINFV]

Those were merely examples of ways in which this country is failing it's own population, I didn't say that EMS would fix the problems. If we can trust our policing and our fire protection to local government, why can we not do it with EMS? Everyone else in the modern / developed world seems to manage, with comparable or higher survival rates and lower cost per person.

So your local fire department and police department receives no state or federal funding or grants?

You won't get lower cost without rationing. I still love the story from about 7-8 years ago of the British dentists refusing to see new patients because they hit their reimbursement cap. You won't see health indexes go up until public health issues are solved. Of course that still doesn't change the fact that while we're relatively low, it's not like we're talking a significant amount of time. We're, what, in the 30ths for life expectancy with 20 countries within 2 years? The way it gets talked about you'd think it was 10+ years between us and the front of the pack.

 

[Jack Bode]

If one wanted to make the EMS situation worse, then the answer would be to turn it over to government. Otherwise, if one wants to increase access, control cost and improve quality, then the best framework would be a free-market.

Works every time. Markets never fail.

 

[DPM]

Comparing EMS reform to an anecdote about dentistry in the UK doesn't make sense.

And I'm not saying that Fire and Police don't receive federal money, but you are yet to make an argument that shows funding EMS in the same way would lead to a worse system. No other country spends as much on healthcare as the US, in terms of Average per person per year or as a proportion of GDP. Other countries have found more efficient ways to pay for a comparable level of treatment, so I don't see why there is so much opposition when people mention learning from their systems.

 

[DPM]

If one wanted to make the EMS situation worse, then the answer would be to turn it over to government. Otherwise, if one wants to increase access, control cost and improve quality, then the best framework would be a free-market.

Works every time. Markets never fail.

Do you have any evidence to back this up?

 

[NYMedic828]

Do you have any evidence to back this up?

Well, in his defense the US government has been doing a pretty good job destroying everything we hold dear...

 

[medicsb]

If one wanted to make the EMS situation worse, then the answer would be to turn it over to government. Otherwise, if one wants to increase access, control cost and improve quality, then the best framework would be a free-market.

Works every time. Markets never fail.

Hahahahaha

 

[DrParasite]

Take King County Medic One as an illustrative example. The citizens of King County pay $0.30 per $1000 of assessed property value per year. The county government began collecting this levy in 2007 and has never exceeded the $0.30/$1000 rate. The levy completely funds Medic One's operations and the residents of King County are not charged a fee for ambulance service there. In the 5 years it has been in operation it has generated over $600 million despite the fact that the typical resident of King County probably only paid around $85/year for Medic One services (according to NAR data the median home price in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellvue metro area was $285,000).

Imagine if this program expanded to include the entire population of Washington. You could provide a robust, professional level of service to the entire geographic area at a much lower cost to each individual person. I don't see why this model couldn't be reproduced in each of the other 50 states.

it doesn't work that way, for several reasons.....

1) Medic One is ALS only, all BLS is handled by a private services. You get a Medic One response to all EMS calls, but if the call is determined to be BLS, a BLS ambulance is called to treat and transport. the BLS ambulance DOES charge for transports,

2) Medic One pays their paramedics really really well, and it is seen as a promotion to go from firefighter to paramedic on medic one. It's an internal culture thing, so EMS is a career, not a stepping stone to a better job.

3) Just like with most of the US, you can't compare Urban standards to the suburbs and rural areas. The urban systems have several advantages, the primary being a larger population to draw funds from, over a smaller geographic area, along with (typically) shorter transport times if you can transport to a hospital in city.

EMS is a local issue. I like county funded EMS, county ran, with closes unit goes. If the county government is mismanaging the system, then the appointed people need to be replaced with competent people. The exception might have to be the urban cities surrounded by suburbs, which tend to have higher call volumes, and would end up sucking the surrounding resources dry, they might warrant their own independent EMS system (with a well developed mutual aid system that goes both ways).

 

[Veneficus]

Veneficus, if you have such a problem with this country and OUR 2nd amendment, please feel free to move to the socialist country of your choice. I would be more then willing to assist you with your move.

Really?

Are you willing to contribute money?

 

[ffemt8978]

Thread reopened. If it needs to be closed again, somebody will get a vacation.