Upper Peninsula EMS providers are asking the Legislature to reimburse nearly $600,000 in outstanding health care bills from providing care to prisoners. This occurred after Michigan Department of Corrections’ former health care provider failed to pay U.P. EMS agencies for their services in 2023 and 2024.
EMS providers operating across the Upper Peninsula provided emergency services to inmates in partnership with Wellpath, MDOC’s health care provider, only to not receive payments for their treatment to patients. Wellpath’s contract with the State of Michigan ended in April 2024 and U.P. EMS agencies have still not been compensated.
Under Michigan law, EMS agencies are required to respond to 9-1-1 requests including calls to Michigan’s prisons. Lack of payment has a greater impact on smaller EMS providers that serve more rural areas causing major issues in covering costs for personnel, operations and other resources to cater to the communities they serve.
Kinross EMS is one of the agencies owed a significant amount of money from Wellpath. Kinross EMS provides primary service to 8 townships in the Eastern Upper Peninsula as well as mutual aid to the neighboring townships, including three prison facilities.
“The lack of payment for our work in Michigan’s prisons has led to a reduction in our schedule, leaving one less ambulance on the road to respond to emergencies or to provide hospital transfers for our patients,” said Kinross EMS Director Renee Gray. “Unfortunately, this issue has also kept us from upgrading to new EMS equipment or incur debt in doing so, which doesn’t help us serve our communities.”
Also impacted is Bay Ambulance, who provides EMS services in Baraga County, southern Houghton County and the surrounding areas. The lack of reimbursement is a huge hit for Bay Ambulance, an agency where operating expenditures have exceeded their revenue for the past few years.
“The payments owed to us are further stressing our already financially strapped organization,” said Gary Wadaga, Director of Bay Ambulance. “This will impact equipment, supplies and available financials to fund part-time employees covering for overworked exhausted full-time paramedics.”
The Michigan Association of Ambulance Services is a statewide trade association representing and advocating for ambulance services. In 2023, MAAS members were responsible for 1.7 million ambulance transports, serving 80% of Michigan counties. MAAS members also provide community paramedicine, ER diversion and 9-1-1 services in several areas of Michigan. For more information, visit miambulance.org.
Comments