Preparing the next generation of air medical transport professionals for success in the field

Alexandria, Va. - The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is proud to announce the rebranding of the Critical Care Transport Academy (CCTA) as the Flight Ready Institute, an updated identity that more clearly reflects the  mission to prepare the next generation of air medical transport professionals for success in the air medical field.

The Flight Ready Institute retains the same rigorous, comprehensive curriculum that has made CCTA a trusted pathway for aspiring flight clinicians, while adopting a name that more clearly communicates the program’s purpose and value to the broader industry.

“The Flight Ready Institute name reflects exactly what this program delivers - highly prepared, duty ready clinicians who are equipped to meet the demands of critical care transport from day one,” said Jana Williams, President and CEO of AAMS. “This evolution strengthens our ability to tell the school's story, expand awareness, and continue growing a strong, well prepared workforce for our industry.”

According to Mandy Gainey, Faculty Co-Chair, the rebrand better aligns the program’s name with the expectations placed on today’s transport clinicians. “The CCTA has always been about clinical, operational, and professional readiness,” Gainey said. “The Flight Ready Institute clearly signals what our graduates bring to the table for potential employers.”
 
The Flight Ready Institute continues to offer a competitive, application-based program designed to identify and develop highly motivated professionals pursuing careers in critical care transport. Participants receive best-in-class education and training focused on foundational knowledge, operational readiness, and professional growth, ensuring graduates are truly flight ready.
 
The 2026 cohort, our largest ever with 35 students, is also the first to convene under the newly branded Flight Ready Institute. This past weekend, the class completed the first of two in-person sessions, engaging in hands-on skills training and interactive lectures at Life Link III in Shoreview, Minnesota.
 
Matt Benson, Faculty Co-Chair, emphasized that while the name is new, the Institute’s foundation remains unchanged. “This is the same high quality, competitive program that CCTA graduates and hiring leaders know and trust,” Benson said. “The Flight Ready Institute builds on a strong legacy while positioning the program for the future of our industry.”
 
More information about the Flight Ready Institute, including program details and application timelines, is available here.

Announcing 2025 Community Awards Winners

For Immediate Release
October 29, 2025
Contact: Blair Beggan, VP, Communications - bbeggan@aams.org

OMAHA, Neb. — On Tuesday, October 28, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) proudly recognized the outstanding achievements of individuals and programs across the emergency medical transport industry during the 2025 Community Awards presentation at the Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC) in Omaha, Nebraska. The AMTC Awards Celebration—sponsored by Golden Hour—honored excellence, innovation, and impact across a range of categories.

AAMS is pleased to announce the 2025 Community Award recipients:

Program of the Year – Sponsored by Airbus

Boston MedFlight
Bedford, Massachusetts

Recognized for exceptional patient care, visionary leadership, safety, community service, and a steadfast commitment to the medical transport community.

Marriott-Carlson Lifetime Achievement Award – Sponsored by Bell

Jacqueline C. Stocking, PhD, MBA, MSN, NEA-BC, CMTE,
CEN, CFRN, FP-C, CCP-C, RN, NRP, FAASTN
UC Davis Health
Sacramento, California

Honored for a career of transformative contributions to the advancement and leadership of emergency medical transport.

Jim Charlson Safety Award – Sponsored by Life Flight Network

Eric Thresher
Air Methods
Jacksonville, North Carolina

Celebrated for advancing safety culture and practices within the air and critical care ground transport community.

Neonatal/Pediatric Transport Award of Excellence – Sponsored by Airborne

Dr. Kelli Lund and the University of Utah AirMed Neonatal Team
Salt Lake City, Utah

Recognized for outstanding contributions to neonatal and pediatric transport care, safety, and advocacy.

Transport Mechanic Award of Excellence – Sponsored by Leonardo

Eric Scoggins
Air Methods / UNC Health - Carolina Air Care
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Honored for excellence in maintaining and enhancing the safety of medical transport vehicles.

AAMS Excellence in Transport Leadership Award

Leanne Reaves, MSN, RN, CMTE, LIFT-C, CEN
UNC Health - Carolina Air Care
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Recognized for visionary leadership, operational excellence, and unwavering dedication to the transport community.

NEW: Eileen Frazer Spark Award – Sponsored by AAMS and CAMTS 

Kevin Rixmann, CCRN, CFRN, CSC, NRP
Life Link III
Shoreview, Minnesota

Inaugural recipient of this award honoring bold vision and emerging leadership in out-of-hospital patient care.

AAMS Community Impact Award

LifeMed Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska

Recognized for expanding access, improving equity, and strengthening the future of medical transport in their region.

AAMS Making a Difference Award

Posthumously awarded to Dr. Gregory Powell
Founder of STARS
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Honored for a legacy of life-saving innovation and dedication to patient outcomes.

AAMS Rising Spirit Award

Sacramento Good Samaritans

Recognized bystanders who showed remarkable bravery by rushing to help and working together to lift a downed air medical aircraft and free a trapped crew member earlier this month in California—an act of true heroism.

Congratulations to all the 2025 Community Award honorees! Your work continues to elevate the standard of care and inspire the future of medical transport.

 

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Established in 1980, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is an international trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. AAMS is a non-profit 501C (6) trade association that represents and advocates on behalf of the critical care transport industry to enhance their ability to deliver quality, safe, and effective medical care and medical transportation for every patient in-need.

Erlanger LIFE FORCE
Chattanooga, TN

Marriott-Carlson Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Bell
Recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the overall enhancement, development, leadership or promotion of the emergency medical transport community and has been actively involved or participated in an emergency medical transport organization.

Richard Orr, MD (Retired)
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh/UPMC

Jim Charlson Safety Award
Recognizes an entity (team, organization, individual) who has made significant contributions to the overall enhancement, development, or promotion of safety within the air and critical care ground transport community.

Donna York
Golden Hour, a ZOLL Company

Neonatal/Pediatric Transport Award of Excellence, sponsored by Airborne
Recognizes a team that has made an outstanding contribution to a neonatal/ pediatric transport service in any of the following areas: enhancing safety, education, leadership, patient advocacy by developing or promoting the improvement of patient care in the medical transport community.

Children's Health Neonatal/Pediatric Transport of Dallas, Texas

Transport Mechanic Award of Excellence, sponsored by Leonardo
Recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the safe operation of medical transport vehicles or the improvement of safe maintenance procedures of medical transport vehicles.

Dave Esteves
Haiti Air Ambulance

AAMS Excellence in Transport Leadership Award 
Recognizes an air and ground critical care transport leader who has demonstrated a superior level of knowledge and management prowess, high-quality leadership through visionary and innovative approaches, customer service, safety consciousness, marketing ingenuity, community service, and commitment to the emergency medical community as a whole.

William Cyr
LifeFlight of Maine

AAMS President's Award
Presented to the first industry leader to graduate from all three of AAMS’ leadership schools, MTLI, SMTA, and LIFT.

Michael Weimer
Life Flight Network

AAMS Community Impact Award
Recognizes outstanding contribution to transport medicine which resulted in expanded access, increased health care equity, preserved or broadened services, improved medical transport solvency, strengthened business continuity, enhanced patient advocacy, or improved a foundational element of medical transport that gives hope for a brighter future.

American Ambulance Association
Association of Critical Care Transport
Air Medical Operators Association
International Association of Fire Chiefs
International Association of Fire Fighters
National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
Vertical Aviation International 

AAMS Making a Difference Award
Recognizes an individual or entity that best demonstrates the value of medical transport or excellence in medical patient outcomes.

REMSA Care Flight
Ken Goodreau, Jeff Horonz, and Jessica Leising

AAMS Rising Spirit Award 
Presented to a team or individual that has demonstrated the positive side of what healthcare and medical transport is about with a specific program or feature aimed at taking care of our people, improving resilience, raising spirits, and finding the good.

Intermountain Health
Dr. Nicholas Carr, Karen Fischer, Jennifer Hunt, and Lori McBride 

Congratulations to all the 2024 Community Award Honorees! 

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Established in 1980, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is an international trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. AAMS is a non-profit 501C (6) trade association that represents and advocates on behalf of the critical care transport industry to enhance their ability to deliver quality, safe, and effective medical care and medical transportation for every patient in-need.

Alexandria, Va. – The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), an international non-profit organization committed to leading and serving transport medicine, is pleased to announce the newly elected members of its 2024-2025 board of directors. Board terms officially began on January 1, 2024. 

Executive Committee
Chair: James Houser, CEO, STAT MedEvac, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
Chair-Elect: Mike Perkins, COO, MedFlight of Ohio, Columbus, Ohio
Secretary/Treasurer: Kim Montgomery, President, Med-Trans Corp, EagleMed, and SevenBar Aviation, Denton, Texas
Immediate Past Chair: Kolby L. Kolbet, Chief Clinical Officer, Life Link III, Bloomington, Minnesota 
 
Directors-at-Large 
Ben Clayton, CEO, Life Flight Network, Aurora, Oregon
Chris Hall, Director, Government Affairs & Industry Relations, PHI Health, Phoenix, Arizona
Tiffany Obetts, Director, Corewell Health Aero Med/North Flight Aero Med, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Stephanie Queen, Chief Nursing Officer, Air Methods Corporation, Englewood, Colorado
Jeff Richey, Executive Director, Airlift Northwest | UW Medicine, Seattle, Washington
Cindy Seidl, Chief Clinical Officer, STARS, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Steve Soliz, HEMS Segment Manager, Bell Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas
Dustin Windle, Program Director, Guardian Air Transport, Flagstaff, Arizona

 
“We enter the new year refreshed with an engaged board and team ready to roll up their sleeves and continue working diligently on behalf of AAMS members," says AAMS President & CEO Jana Williams. "We are excited to pick up from where we left off in 2023 - with key progress in the government affairs arena, exciting revisions to our educational offerings, and a focus on member value and engagement."

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Established in 1980, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is an international trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. AAMS is a non-profit 501C (6) trade association that represents and advocates on behalf of the critical care transport industry to enhance their ability to deliver quality, safe, and effective medical care and medical transportation for every patient in-need.

Alexandria, Va. – Each year, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) recognizes the best and brightest professionals in emergency medical transport through a variety of notable international awards. The 2023 Community Award honorees were announced earlier today at the opening General Session at the annual Air Medical Transport Conference in Columbus, Ohio. AAMS is pleased to announce this year's winners: 

Program of the Year, sponsored by Airbus

Columbus, Ohio

Recognizes an emergency medical transport service that has demonstrated a superior level of patient care, management prowess, high quality leadership through visionary and innovative approaches, customer service, safety consciousness, marketing ingenuity, community service, and a commitment to the medical transport community.

Marriott-Carlson Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Bell

We have a TIE.

Patti Corbett, Air Methods Corporation
Denise Treadwell, Air Med International

Recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the overall enhancement, development, leadership or promotion of the emergency medical transport community and has been actively involved or participated in an emergency medical transport organization.

Jim Charlson Safety Award

NEAAMS Safety Symposium Committee, Great Plains LifeNet

Committee Members include Tracy Meyer, Mickey Sauser, Luke Ballmer,
Stephanie Jacobson, Denell Rineheart and Josh Burke.

Recognizes an entity (team, organization, individual) who has made significant contributions to the overall enhancement, development or promotion of safety within the air and critical care ground transport community.

Neonatal/Pediatric Transport Award of Excellence, sponsored by Airborne / International Bio Medical

Florida Neonatal Pediatric Transport Network Association

Recognizes a team that has made an outstanding contribution to a neonatal/ pediatric transport service in any of the following areas: enhancing safety, education, leadership, patient advocacy by developing or promoting the improvement of patient care in the medical transport community.

Transport Mechanic Award of Excellence, sponsored by Leonardo

Josh Brannon, Global Medical Response (GMR)

Recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the safe operation of medical transport vehicles or the improvement of safe maintenance procedures of medical transport vehicles.

AAMS Excellence in Transport Leadership Award

Rene' Borghese, MSN, RN, CMTE, Duke Life Flight

Recognizes air and ground critical care transport leader who has demonstrated a superior level of knowledge and management prowess, high-quality leadership through visionary and innovative approaches, customer service, safety consciousness, marketing ingenuity, community service, commitment to the emergency medical community as a whole. 

Congratulations to all of the 2023 Community Award Nominees! 

NEWS RELEASE:  March 24, 2022
Contact: Blair Beggan, Senior Director of Communications |  bbeggan@aams.org 

Alexandria, Va. – The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is pleased to announce the addition of Scott Powell, Chief Executive Officer of Quick Med Claims, to the 2022-2023 Board of Directors. Mr. Powell joins the board to fill the recently vacated Director position representing AAMS Class I Members. 

Currently, Mr. Powell is responsible for executive leadership and oversight of the Quick Med Claims organization. His background in the payor space and his experience with leadership development, process automation and standardization, supports continued growth and provides outstanding service for QMC clients. Mr. Powell came to Quick Med Claims following more than 25 years at UnitedHealth Group, where he had most recently served as the Senior Director of Global Resources. Scott has a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from Duquesne University.

“My extensive background in the healthcare payor system is well aligned with the more experienced medical transport professionals on the AAMS Board,” says Mr. Powell. “As a fresh set of eyes, I can bring different questions and additional perspectives to the table, along with my leadership experience, focus on driving culture, compliance and compassion.”

“On behalf of the entire Board, I’d like to welcome Scott Powell to the AAMS Board of Directors,” says AAMS Chair, René Borghese. “I have no doubt of the value he brings to the team, particularly in light of the ongoing No Surprises Act implementation and our upcoming Medicare reform efforts.”

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Established in 1980, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is an international trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. AAMS is a non-profit 501C (6) trade association that represents and advocates on behalf of the critical care transport industry to enhance their ability to deliver quality, safe, and effective medical care and medical transportation for every patient in-need.   

Association of Air Medical Services Announces 2022-2023 Board of Directors
René Borghese of North Carolina’s Duke LifeFlight begins one-year term as Chair

Alexandria, Va. – The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), an international non-profit organization committed to leading and serving transport medicine, is pleased to announce the newly elected members of its 2022-2023 board of directors. Our new leadership team is the first board elected since significant changes were made to the AAMS governance structure, and terms officially began on January 1, 2022.

Executive Committee

Chair: René Borghese, Administrative Director, Duke LifeFlight, Durham, North Carolina

Chair-Elect: Kolby L. Kolbet, Chief Clinical Officer, Life Link III, Bloomington, Minnesota

Secretary/Treasurer: James Houser, CEO, STAT MedEvac, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania

Immediate Past Chair: Deborah C. Boudreaux, Assistant Vice President, Nursing, Teddy Bear Transport, Cook Children's Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas

Directors-at-Large

Ben Clayton, Interim CEO and COO, Life Flight Network, Aurora, Oregon

Chris Hall, Director, Government Affairs & Industry Relations, PHI Health, Phoenix, Arizona

Rob Hamilton, President: Alliances, Global Medical Response, City, State

Mike Perkins, Chief Operating Officer, MedFlight of Ohio, Columbus, Ohio

Stephanie Queen, Chief Nursing Officer, Air Methods Corporation, Englewood, Colorado

Jeff Richey, Executive Director, Airlift Northwest | UW Medicine, Seattle, Washington

Cindy Seidl, Chief Clinical Officer, STARS, Calgary, Alberta, Canada                     

Todd Stanberry, Director, Business Integration, Metro Aviation, Shreveport, Louisiana

“AAMS moves into the coming year with a group of diverse leaders at the helm, each committed to empower all AAMS members to achieve high-quality patient care, fair payment for air ambulance services, and access to care for patients and communities worldwide,” says AAMS President & CEO, Cameron Curtis. “I speak for the entire AAMS and MedEvac Foundation staff when I say we very much look forward to working closely with our new leadership team.”

Alexandria, Va. - The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is pleased to announce the addition of three new instructors to the Medical Transport Leadership Institute’s (MTLI) Council of Regents. MTLI, the organization’s flagship leadership training program, has awarded the Certified Medical Transport Executive (CMTE) designation to more than 1200 future industry leaders in air and critical care ground medicine since the program’s inception in 1998.

Jonathan Collier, CMTE, Chief Strategy Officer, Apollo MedFlight, LLC
Jonathan has 20 years of senior and executive leadership roles in the air medical industry with Apollo, Air Methods, PHI Air Medical, Summit Air Ambulance, and Rocky Mountain Helicopters. In each of his roles, Jonathan has focused on developing safe and quality operations, surrounding himself with incredible teams, developing strategy, building lasting relationships, and driving the culture. He has worked with healthcare systems and hospitals across the United States in establishing transport, building referral patterns, and improving communications.

Susan Rivers, EMT, BSN, MBA, CMTE, Director, Carilion Clinic
Susan earned her RN from Rappahannock Community College in 1993 in rural Virginia, a place where there still is no hospital or ER in the county and where, at the time, not even a helicopter could respond for scene responses. She began her career at the Carilion Clinic as a Trauma ICU and ER nurse prior to becoming a flight nurse with Carilion Clinic Life-Guard in 1996. Susan progressively developed her leadership skills with additional roles in critical care ground, fixed-wing, rotor-wing, and the communications center and transitioned into her current position as the program director of Carilion’s three-helicopter program and the Neonatal-Pediatric transport team in 2004.

Robert Tester, MBA (c), BS, NRP, FP-C, CMTE, Senior Director, Erlanger Health System
Robert joined Erlanger Health System in 1998 and worked his way through the ranks as a flight paramedic, Program Manager, and Administrator of the LIFE FORCE flight program. In 2015, Robert was named Vice President of Operations for Erlanger Health System, where he served three years. As Senior Director, he currently leads LIFE FORCE, a six-helicopter air medical program based in Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. Erlanger’s Regional Operations Center (EROC), Emergency Management, Pre-Hospital, and Disaster Medicine Programs and Teams.        

"All three of our new instructors are recognized leaders in the medical transport industry, and each exuded a unique passion for the experienced mentorship needed to prepare future leaders for the industry challenges ahead," said Tom Liebman, Chair of the MTLI Council of Regents. "I want to thank all those who applied as potential instructors this year. It was difficult task selecting those three from an extremely talented field of applicants."

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Established in 1980, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is an international trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. AAMS is a non-profit 501C (6) trade association that represents and advocates on behalf of the critical care transport industry to enhance their ability to deliver quality, safe, and effective medical care and medical transportation for every patient in-need.

Alexandria, Va. – The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) has filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging interim final regulations (IFRs) implementing the No Surprises Act. AAMS continues to support the goals of the No Surprises Act, including the removal of patients from the middle of billing disputes between air ambulance providers and their patients’ insurers. One of the most important aspects of this law is the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process that was designed by Congress to allow healthcare providers and insurers, following a period of open negotiation between the two, to make their case for payment before an independent entity based on statutory factors. It was the intent of Congress when passing this law that no single statutory factor receives special weight in the IDR process.

However, the IFRs issued by the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services ignore Congress’s intent, instead focusing on a single factor - the Qualified Payment Amount (QPA), or the insurer’s median in-network rate for only a subset of their contracts for a given service in each area. The QPA is to be the overriding factor in this decision-making process. This means that insurers will be able to know exactly how the IDR entities will resolve these disputes, making the IDR and the open negotiation that precedes it a forgone conclusion. Insurers will also leverage that QPA against future payments, lowering all payments, both in-and-out-of-network, over time.

“Air Medical Services transport the sickest, most severely injured patients in our healthcare system - we fully support protecting those patients from these payment disputes and worked with Members of Congress and our larger healthcare community partners to ensure that happens,” said Cameron Curtis, AAMS President and CEO. “However, the fair and transparent process that we all supported is not the process being implemented. Instead, we are faced with a scenario in which a patient is in an emergency, is transported by a helicopter at the request of a trained first responder or qualified physician, and that patient’s insurer gets to unilaterally determine the amount they pay. This will have disastrous consequences for access to emergency air ambulance services.”

AAMS believes that a fair process in which all factors - including the type of aircraft, the quality of the services provided, and the acuity of the patient, among others - are considered when deciding a payment dispute can ensure the sustainability of air medical services and the larger healthcare system. 

“Healthcare providers, especially emergency healthcare providers, are currently faced with historic concerns - loss of an experienced workforce, disruptions in the medical supply chain, being asked to serve in a multitude of public health roles, and the ongoing threat of a global pandemic,” said AAMS Board Chair Deborah Boudreaux. “By building this process in favor of the payor, our healthcare systems will suffer through reduced payments for necessary services, deepening an ongoing public healthcare crisis.” 

This litigation seeks to vacate the flawed provisions of the IFRs and return to the intent of Congress, which is plain on the face the law, and was most recently underscored to the Departments in a letter from Representatives Suozzi and Wenstrup, which included 152 signatures from likeminded members of Congress. 

“The intent of this law is clear, and AAMS plans to fight for its members and their patients to ensure the sustainability of this necessary service,” said Mrs. Curtis. 

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Established in 1980, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is an international trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. AAMS is a non-profit 501C (6) trade association that represents and advocates on behalf of the critical care transport industry to enhance their ability to deliver quality, safe, and effective medical care and medical transportation for every patient in-need.

Following the passage of the No Surprises Act in 2020, AAMS formed an NSA Implementation Task Force to coordinate with the Public Affairs and Finance and Reimbursement Committees on the development of an AAMS position related to the implementation of the law.

After months of work and discussions with members, as well other hospital and healthcare associations, the AAMS Board of Directors voted overwhelmingly to approve the positions as outlined in our public letter addressing the implementation of the No Surprises Act. 

These positions are consistent with the positions of the larger healthcare community while recognizing the unique issues faced by every AAMS member as they relate to the prohibition of balance billing and the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process.

AAMS leadership and staff will present these positions to the membership and discuss their impact in more detail on a live AAMS Public Affairs Forum on July 8th at 1 pm Eastern. An invite to the forum will be coming shortly under separate cover.

Below, please find the official positions of other healthcare organizations and a summary document showing a comparison with the AAMS position.

Comparison Document

On January 12, 2021, AAMS hosted a 1-hour special Town Hall to help explain the Balance Billing legislation that was signed into law on Sunday, December 27th, the changes it will make to your operation as well as the operation of hospitals and healthcare systems across the U.S.

View the full Townhall presentation here:

January 11, 2021—WASHINGTON, D.C.— A 40-week structured training program for clinicians interested in entering the air medical industry will be offered at no cost to the student through a newly announced partnership between the former ECHO Future Flight Crew faculty and the Association of Air Medical Services.

Led by Academy Director Shane Turner, the former director of ECHO Future Flight Crew, the Academy began in 2016 to provide education and training developed and presented by volunteer flight crew members from around the country. The new program, that will begin in the second quarter of 2021, will be led by 10 experienced instructors with the support of AAMS.

“I look forward to this exciting new partnership with AAMS,” said Shane Turner, “Our Academy pledges to deliver the latest, evidence-based, highest quality, and all-inclusive curriculum available to ensure we are training the best possible flight clinicians for the sole purpose of improving our industry.”

Additional details regarding the application process as well as a schedule of both virtual and in-person training sessions will be detailed in the coming weeks at AAMS.org.

“This agreement with the faculty is part of our new strategic plan to create and deliver innovative programs that nurture and positively impact transport medicine services, professionals, and the patients they serve,” said Cameron Curtis, AAMS President and CEO. “The new Critical Care Transport Academy is an addition to our other credentialing programs, the Medical Transport Leadership Institute and Safety Management Transport Academy, and will lead to a new Certified Medical Transport Professional credential,” she added.

The Association of Air Medical Services thanks the Department of Health and Human Services for its report on surprise medical billing, and the significant negative impact this issue has on patients already experiencing a serious illness or injury. The report fails to indicate the extent to which healthcare providers go to shield patients previously in their care from these billing disputes, including repeated attempts to go in-network with insurers. The report also fails to discuss the inability of healthcare providers to remove the patient from the middle and negotiate directly with insurers in the out-of-network environment. AAMS actively supports providing opportunities for direct negotiations with insurers that preserves this essential emergency service and supports the patients we serve.

During our current public health emergency, in which air medical services have transported over 10,000 of the most critically ill coronavirus patients, we urge legislators and policy makers to support solutions that put patients, and their access to critical healthcare resources, first.

Established in 1980, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is an international trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. AAMS is a non-profit 501C(6) trade association that represents and advocates on behalf of the critical care transport industry to enhance their ability to deliver quality, safe, and effective medical care and medical transportation for every patient in-need.

A seven-member Diversity & Inclusion Committee has recently been appointed by the Association of Air Medical Services to evaluate, foster, and advance core values that improve diversity and inclusion in the critical care transport industry through AAMS programs and resources. This announcement follows the approval of the AAMS board of directors on February 18, 2020 to add the following discrimination clause to the association’s Bylaws.
 
“This Corporation does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status. All programs and activities of the Corporation shall be carried out in such a manner as to be consistent with and in adherence to this policy.”
 
The seven members of the D&I Committee include:
Stewart Corbin, CFC, CMTE, 
Committee Chair
Customer Communication Center Training Manager
Metro Aviation, Inc.

Allen Wolfe Jr., MSN, CNS, APRN, CFRN, CCRN, CTRN, CMTE
Committee Vice Chair
Director of Clinical Education/Critical Care
Air Methods Corporation

Nikishia Allen, IAED-Q, CFC, CMTE
Flight Communications Coordinator
Flight For Life (Texas)

Junius Frederick, CMTE
Program Director
Meducare Air

Bethany Hart, NR-P, CCEMTP
Critical Care Transport/Flight Paramedic
NHRMC’s AirLink/VitaLink Critical Care Transport

Mick McCallum, RN, EMT-P, CMTE
Flight Nurse
Med-Trans Corporation

Chuck McSweeney, MPS, NR/CC-EMT-P, CMTE
Senior Account Manager
EmsCharts, Inc.

Mike Griffiths, RN, CFRN, CEN
AAMS Board Liaison
CEO
Life Flight Network, LLC

The Association of Air Medical Services has zero tolerance for discrimination, injustice, and violence in any form.

“We must preserve our organization, so we can increase our financial stability, add programs and services that foster diversity and inclusion in the critical care transport industry, and work to prevent legislation contradictory to our mission and core values,” said Cameron Curtis, AAMS President and CEO. “Discrimination remains an ugly part of American history that continues to plague our nation. It affects every aspect of our lives, including education, healthcare, personal safety, and economic stability in our large cities and rural communities,” added Curtis.

Critical care transport crews are trained to provide life-saving care to any patient in-need and are dedicated to conserve life, alleviate suffering, and provide care with compassion and respect for human dignity—without discrimination.
 
“The board agreed it was time for AAMS to reflect that sentiment in our Bylaws, programs and services, and to encourage diversity and inclusion within the industry,” she noted. “We stand united with our members and fellow first responders in support of this mission. Together we can be part of the change,” Curtis noted.
 
Established in 1980, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is an international trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. AAMS is a non-profit 501C(6) trade association that represents and advocates on behalf of the critical care transport industry to enhance their ability to deliver quality, safe, and effective medical care and medical transportation for every patient in-need. The 2020 Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC) will be held November 2-4, 2020, in Music City Center, Nashville, TN.

Yesterday, National Transportation Safety Board held a virtual public meeting on a fatal accident involving a Bell 407 helicopter air ambulance, operated by Survival Flight, that crashed in Zaleski, Ohio, January 29, 2019. The NTSB concluded the accident was caused by the operator’s “inadequate management of safety.” Details and documents of the accident are available here: https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/NR20200519.aspx

“AAMS has consistently supported a multitude of regulations to enhance safe operations in the HAA community. We’ve also worked tirelessly as an industry to raise safety standards and share best practices,” said Cameron Curtis, AAMS President and CEO. “While our organization does not comment on individual air medical transport accidents, AAMS views any disregard of these efforts- especially those that exist to preserve the safety of air medical patients and crews- as a serious matter. Our organization advocates for the highest operational standards for the safety of our critical care transport providers as well as the patients,” added Curtis.

AAMS supported FAA regulations finalized in 2014 to significantly raise weather minimums for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operation, among multiple other regulations designed to enhance the safety of air ambulance operations, including the requirement to operate with Helicopter Terrain Alert and Warning Systems (HTAWS), and Operational Control Centers (OCCs). The multiple regulations supported by AAMS were specifically designed to address the risks presented in the NTSB’s accident report.

AAMS remains committed to enhancing the safety of air medical operations and the patients and air ambulance crews that we transport.

Established in 1980, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is an international trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. AAMS is a non-profit 501C(6) trade association that represents and advocates on behalf of the critical care transport industry to enhance their ability to deliver quality, safe, and effective medical care and medical transportation for every patient in-need. The 2020 Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC) will be held November 2-4, 2020, in Music City Center, Nashville, TN.

Read the full article from Bloomberg Law HERE

Health-care providers have seemingly benefited from financial aid offered under the CARES Act but must be aware of the numerous strings attached to these funds, say Butler Snow LLP attorneys. Here is a look at some of the funding terms and conditions that could lead to trouble for health-care providers down the road.

The CARES Act set aside $100 billion for “health care related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable” to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The consensus within the health-care community was (and is) that this appropriation, a significant amount under normal circumstances, will only begin to scratch the surface of the lost revenues and additional expenses tragically visited on hospitals, physicians and other providers by this pandemic.

As a result, within minutes of the bill’s release, health-care providers and their lawyers began frantically searching the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Department of Health and Human Services websites for the promised applications, in hopes that each could be among the lucky few to get a golden ticket.

That all changed with a Coronavirus Task Force press briefing held at the White House on April 7, in which the administrator for the CMS, Seema Verma, announced that the agency would soon begin distributing the first $30 billion “tranche” of the grant funds directly to provider bank accounts.

And then in a remark that begged for a mic drop, she added: “There are no strings attached so the health care providers that are receiving these dollars can essentially spend that in any way that they see fit.”

However, the Provider “Relief Fund Payment Terms and Conditions” soon posted to the HHS website would have made the Lilliputians who tied-down the giant Gulliver proud.

Multiple Pages of Grant Conditions

There can be no doubt that the administrator’s intentions were good. The first $30 billion was distributed directly to bank accounts in record time for a government program. Since then, $20 billion more has been made available. But the multiple pages of HHS grant conditions that apply to the respective allocations (which, in turn, reference other terms and conditions under federal law) certainly seem like, well, strings.

Those conditions that deserve special attention include the following promises, in which the “Recipient certifies that:”

• “it provides or provided after Jan. 31, 2020 diagnoses, testing, or care for individuals with possible or actual cases of COVID-19.” Likely in response to the collective outcry of a health-care community concerned that this language restricted distributions only to those directly testing for, or treating, Covid-19, the HHS recently issued this clarification: “If you ceased operation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, you are still eligible to receive funds so long as you provided diagnoses, testing, or care for individuals with possible or actual cases of COVID-19. Care does not have to be specific to treating COVID-19. HHS broadly views every patient as a possible case of COVID-19.”
• “the Payment will only be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19, and shall reimburse the recipient only for health care-related expenses or lost revenues attributable to COVID-19.” This appears to be two conditions in one (and injects additional ambiguity into the certification process): a promise that the funds will be (1) used to reimburse providers for expenses or lost revenues attributable to the pandemic or (2) spent “to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 … .”
• “it will not use the Payment to reimburse expenses or losses that have been reimbursed from other sources or that other sources are obligated to reimburse.” This is an almost universal prohibition in the grant world. Making sure that governmental loans or grants are used for distinctly different purposes, which can be fully documented come audit time is easier said than done. Providers should segregate these grant funds in a separate account, if possible, and keep detailed records of expenses. Also referenced are federal record-keeping and retention requirements that providers must understand.
• “No funds received may be used to pay the salary of any individual, whether through a grant or other payment mechanism, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II [currently set at $197,300].” This is a reference to section 202 of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020. According to various HHS grant policy guidelines, this condition should not be read as limiting, generally, the salaries of individuals within the recipient’s organization. It simply limits the amount that may be charged to HHS grant funds.

The speed and size of the federal government’s fiscal response to the Covid-19 pandemic has been laudable, and nothing short of breathtaking.

But our experience in dealing with other disasters over the years, including the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, is that the good intentions of the moment soon fade. Health-care providers would be well advised to remember that there is a veritable army of government auditors, inspectors, and lawyers waiting in the wings to ensure that grant funds are handled properly by recipients.

As taxpayers, we expect nothing less. But those who receive Covid-19 funds would be wise to keep in mind the nine words that President Ronald Reagan once said were the most terrifying in the English language: “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. or its owners.

Author Information

Mark W. Garriga, an attorney with Butler Snow LLP and former legislator, serves as the practice group leader for Butler Snow’s Health Law Group in Jackson, Miss., and focuses his practice on health law, administrative appeals and government litigation matters.

W. Scott Keaty, an attorney with Butler Snow LLP in Baton Rouge, La., is a board-certified health law specialist. He represents health care providers in federal and state health law matters.

“The healthcare providers on the frontlines of the pandemic are heroic, and President Trump recognizes that every American healthcare provider has pitched in for this fight in some way,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “Our goal in all of the decisions we’re making is to get the money from the Provider Relief Fund out the door as quickly as possible while targeting it to those suffering the most from the pandemic. We will continue using every regulatory and payment flexibility we have to help providers continue doing their vital work until we’ve defeated this virus.”

In allocating the funds, the Administration is working to address both the economic harm across the entire healthcare system due to the stoppage of elective procedures, and addressing the economic impact on providers incurring additional expenses caring for COVID-19 patients, and to do so as quickly and transparently as possible.

GENERAL ALLOCATION

• $50 billion of the Provider Relief Fund is allocated for general distribution to Medicare facilities and providers impacted by COVID-19, based on eligible providers’ 2018 net patient revenue.
  
  
  • To expedite providers getting money as quickly as possible, $30 billion was distributed immediately, proportionate to providers’ share of Medicare fee-for- service reimbursements in 2019. On Friday, April 10, $26 billion was delivered to bank accounts. The remaining $4 billion of the expedited $30 billion distribution was sent on April 17.
    
    
  • This simple formula, working with the data we had, was used to get the money out the door as quickly as possible. We were very clear that additional funds would be going out quickly to help providers with a relatively small share of their revenue coming from Medicare fee-for-service, such as children’s hospitals.
    
    
  • Those funds are beginning to be delivered this week. HHS will begin distribution of the remaining $20 billion of the general distribution to these providers to augment their allocation so that the whole $50 billion general distribution is allocated proportional to providers’ share of 2018 net patient revenue.
    
    
  • On April 24, a portion of providers will automatically be sent an advance payment based off the revenue data they submit in CMS cost reports. Providers without adequate cost report data on file will need to submit their revenue information to a portal opening this week at https://www.hhs.gov/providerrelief for additional general distribution funds.
    
    
    • Providers who receive their money automatically will still need to submit their revenue information so that it can be verified.
      
      
  • Payments will go out weekly, on a rolling basis, as information is validated, with the first wave being delivered at the end of this week (April 24, 2020).
    
    
• Providers who receive funds from the general distribution have to sign an attestation confirming receipt of funds and agree to the terms and conditions of payment and confirm the CMS cost report.
  
  
• The terms and conditions also include other measures to help prevent fraud and misuse of the funds. All recipients will be required to submit documents sufficient to ensure that these funds were used for healthcare-related expenses or lost revenue attributable to coronavirus. There will be significant anti-fraud and auditing work done by HHS, including the work of the Office of the Inspector General.
  
  
• President Trump is committed to ending surprise bills for patients. As part of this commitment, as a condition to receiving these funds, providers must agree not to seek collection of out-of-pocket payments from a presumptive or actual COVID-19 patient that are greater than what the patient would have otherwise been required to pay if the care had been provided by an in-network provider.

TARGETED ALLOCATIONS
ALLOCATION FOR COVID-19 HIGH IMPACT AREAS

• $10 billion will be allocated for a targeted distribution to hospitals in areas that have been particularly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. As an example, hospitals serving COVID-19 patients in New York, which has a high percentage of total confirmed COVID-19 cases, are expected to receive a large share of the funds.
  
  
  • Hospitals should apply for a portion of the funds by providing four simple pieces of information via an authentication portal before midnight PT, Thursday April 23. This portal is live, and hospitals have already been contacted directly to provide this information.
    
    
  • Hospitals will need to provide:
    • Tax Identification Number
    • National Provider Identifier
    • Total number of Intensive Care Unit beds as of April 10, 2020
    • Total number of admissions with a positive diagnosis for COVID-19 from January 1, 2020 to April 10, 2020
    • The authentication and data-sharing process should take less than five minutes via a system that should be familiar to most hospitals.
    • This information is necessary for the government to determine what facilities will qualify for a targeted distribution. Supplying this information does not guarantee receipt of funds from this distribution.
      
      
  • The Administration will use the data it receives to distribute the targeted funds to where the impact from COVID-19 is greatest. The distribution will take into consideration the challenges faced by facilities serving a significantly disproportionate number of low-income patients, as reflected by their Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Adjustment.

ALLOCATION FOR TREATMENT OF THE UNINSURED

• The Trump Administration is committed to ensuring that Americans are protected against financial obstacles that might prevent them from getting the treatment they need for COVID-19.
  
  
• As announced in early April, a portion of the $100 billion Provider Relief Fund will be used to reimburse healthcare providers, at Medicare rates, for COVID-related treatment of the uninsured.
  
  
• Every health care provider who has provided treatment for uninsured COVID-19 patients on or after February 4, 2020, can request claims reimbursement through the program and will be reimbursed at Medicare rates, subject to available funding.
  
  
• Steps will involve: enrolling as a provider participant, checking patient eligibility and benefits, submitting patient information, submitting claims, and receiving payment via direct deposit.
  
  
• Providers can register for the program on April 27, 2020, and begin submitting claims in early May 2020. For more information, visit coviduninsuredclaim.hrsa.gov.

ALLOCATION FOR RURAL PROVIDERS

• $10 billion will be allocated for rural health clinics and hospitals, most of which operate on especially thin margins and are far less likely to be profitable than their urban counterparts.
  
  
  • This money will be distributed as early as next week on the basis of operating expenses, using a methodology that distributes payments proportionately to each facility and clinic.
    
    
  • This method recognizes the precarious financial position of many rural hospitals, a significant number of which are unprofitable.
    
    
  • Rural hospitals are more financially exposed to significant declines in revenue or increases in expenses related to COVID-19 than their urban counterparts.

ALLOCATION FOR INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE

• Recognizing the strain experiences by the Indian Health Service, $400 million will be allocated for Indian Health Service facilities, distributed on the basis of operating expenses. Indian Country is also being impacted by COVID-19.
  
  
  • This money will be distributed as early as next week on the basis of operating expenses for facilities.
    
    
  • This complements other funding provided to IHS and work we’ve done to expand IHS capacity for telehealth.

ADDITIONAL ALLOCATIONS

• There are some providers who will receive further, separate funding, including skilled nursing facilities, dentists, and providers that solely take Medicaid.

HELPING ENSURE ALL AMERICANS HAVE ACCESS TO CARE

• The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, as amended by the CARES Act, requires private insurers to waive an insurance plan member’s cost-sharing payments for COVID-19 testing. The President also secured funding to cover COVID-19 testing for uninsured Americans.
  
  
• President Trump has also secured commitments from private insurers, including Humana, Cigna, UnitedHealth Group, and the Blue Cross Blue Shield system, to waive cost-sharing payments for treatment related to COVID-19 for plan members.
  
  
• Additionally, President Trump is committed to ending surprise bills for patients. As part of this commitment, as a condition to receiving general funds, providers must agree not to seek collection of out-of-pocket payments from a presumptive or actual COVID-19 patient that are greater than what the patient would have otherwise been required to pay if the care had been provided by an in-network provider.

On April 17, 2020, AAMS leadership requested that Congress consider the following for the next legislation addressing the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Appropriate $815,920,000 in additional Public Health and Social Service Emergency Fund (PHSSEF) grants specifically for air ambulance providers to cover the 40% average loss in patient volume our members are currently experiencing and anticipate will continue over the next 6 months of this crisis.
  
  
• Direct CMS to implement a temporary increase of 65% in the Medicare Fee Schedule for rotor and fixed-wing air ambulance to help cover the loss of revenue associated with the uncompensated care due to rising numbers of individuals losing employer-based health coverage. AAMS anticipates this payor mix deterioration to continue for the duration of the crisis and would ask that this increase be in place for the duration of the declared national emergency.

For the full news release, click here:
https://www.hhs.gov/provider-relief/index.html

While the news release only refers to “providers”, it is the current understanding of AAMS that these funds will be distributed to all providers and suppliers billing Medicare.

HHS plans to distribute the remaining $70 billion in the coming weeks, disbursing those funds via “targeted distributions that will focus on providers in areas particularly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, rural providers, providers of services with lower shares of Medicare reimbursement or who predominantly serve the Medicaid population”.

Some key points from the HHS news release:

• All facilities and providers that received Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) reimbursements in 2019 are eligible for this initial rapid distribution.
  • This means that all facilities (hospitals) and providers should expect these payments. The announcement does not mention suppliers, which is how HHS defines non-hospital affiliated air ambulances.
• As a condition to receiving these funds, providers must agree not to seek collection of out-of-pocket payments from a COVID-19 patient that are greater than what the patient would have otherwise been required to pay if the care had been provided by an in-network provider.
• Providers will be distributed a portion of the initial $30 billion based on their share of total Medicare FFS reimbursements in 2019. Total FFS payments were approximately $484 billion in 2019.
• A provider can estimate their payment by dividing their 2019 Medicare FFS (not including Medicare Advantage) payments they received by $484,000,000,000, and multiply that ratio by $30,000,000,000. Providers can obtain their 2019 Medicare FFS billings from their organization’s revenue management system.
• As an example: A community hospital billed Medicare FFS $121 million in 2019. To determine how much they would receive, use this equation: $121,000,000/$484,000,000,000 x $30,000,000,000 = $7,500,000

What to do if you are an eligible provider:

• Providers will be paid via Automated Clearing House account information on file with UHG or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The automatic payments will come to providers via Optum Bank with “HHSPAYMENT” as the payment description.
  • Payments will not be distributed via paper check; monies will simply be deposited in accounts pursuant to the above parameters. A paper check will be sent in the coming weeks as evidence of the deposit.
• Within 30 days of receiving the payment, providers must sign an attestation confirming receipt of the funds and agreeing to the terms and conditions of payment. The portal for signing the attestation will be open the week of April 13, 2020, and will be linked on this page.
  • This means that any provider receiving these funds must commit not to balance bill COVID-19 patients and make an attestation to that effect within 30 days.

AAMS continues to monitor additional guidance from HHS and other agencies as the CARES Act is implemented; we are also currently reviewing additional asks for the fourth bill providing relief and stimulus during the pandemic crisis.

NEWS RELEASE
APRIL 8, 2020

AAMS REQUESTS $363.5M IN EMERGENCY FUNDING TO SUPPORT AIR AMBULANCES
COVID-19 Pandemic increases labor costs by 50%

Alexandria, Va. – The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), representing the air medical transport industry submitted a letter this week to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar with an urgent request to rapidly distribute money to emergency air medical providers from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. In order to ensure the sustainability of the air ambulance community’s labor force through the challenges of the next six months, air ambulance labor costs will increase by an estimated 50%. AAMS anticipates a total six-month need of $254,424.00 per aircraft, for a total allocation of $363,571,425.00

“Like other segments of the health care industry, air medical providers are incurring significant labor and other cost increases stemming from our members’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Cameron Curtis, AAMS President & CEO. “This public health emergency has exacerbated the already precarious viability of emergency air providers across the country and threatens the closure of additional air medical bases at a time when this service is acutely needed,” she added.

In the April 6 letter to Secretary Azar, Curtis and AAMS Board Chair Deborah Boudreaux report a nearly 50% decline in patient transport volume with fewer people requiring services owing to ‘stay at home’ and ‘social distancing.’ However, air services must remain a state of readiness for patients with emergency medical and trauma needs as well as COVID-19 patients needing transport to medical centers of excellence.

AAMS continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic in partnership with the EMS COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Working Group, hosted by the NHTSA Office of EMS and includes CDC, DHS, and DHHS Office of Preparedness, as well as multiple National EMS affiliated associations. AAMS provides updates and resources for its members and the public www.AAMS.org.

Established in 1980, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), is an international trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. AAMS is a non-profit 501C (6) trade association that represents and advocates on behalf of its membership to enhance their ability to delivery quality, safe, and effective medical care and medical transportation for every patient in-need. The 2020 Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC) will be held November 2-4, 2020, in Music City Center, Nashville, TN.

Kelly Murphy
Association of Air Medical Services
Media Relations
kmurphy@aams.org
(703) 967-8113

Title I. Small Business Interruption Loans

• The Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued Coronavirus loan resources; these programs include:
  • Paycheck Protection Program,
    • Department of Treasury also released (1) a top line overview; (2) an information sheet for lenders; (3) an information sheet for borrowers; and (4) the application form for borrowers. 
  • Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Loan Advance
  • SBA Debt Relief
  • SBA Express Bridge Loans
  • Also included are SBA guidance on existing SBA loans and local assistance.
• Find the full list of loan resources here.

Title II. Assistance for workers and families – Rebate checks and expanded unemployment insurance 

• The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) yesterday announced that distribution of economic impact payments will begin in the next three weeks and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people. However, some seniors and others who typically do not file returns will need to submit a simple tax return to receive the stimulus payment.
• New IRS guidance released about the payments stressed that even those people who normally don’t file each year will need to get a “simple tax return” in to get their rebate.

Title III. Health Care Response

• The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is issuing an unprecedented array of temporary regulatory waivers and new rules to equip the American healthcare system with maximum flexibility to respond to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus pandemic.
• The waivers include temporary changes to help local hospitals by implementing
  • The increase of hospital capacity; CMS hospitals without walls
  • The rapid expansion of the healthcare workforce
  • Putting patients over paperwork
  • Further promoting telehealth in Medicare
• The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it was providing temporary regulatory waivers to allow hospitals “maximum flexibility” to respond to COVID-19. 
• Find additional information on the waivers here.
• HHS is still issuing guidance on the suspension of certain requirements related to medical review during the emergency period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. AAMS has asked CMS that any new guidance related to the suspension of these activities specifically include air ambulances to ensue applicability.

Title IV. Economic Stabilization Loans and Airline Stimulus

• The U.S. Department of the Treasury yesterday published resources to assist eligible businesses in applying for payroll support to enable the continued payment of employee wages, salaries, and benefits, and for loans pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
• The resources include assistance on loans to air carriers and businesses critical to national security. These programs include support for Part 135 operations:
  • Guidelines and Application Procedures for Payroll Support to Air Carriers and Contractors under Division A, Title IV, Subtitle B of the CARES Act
  • Procedures and Minimum Requirements for Loans to Air Carriers and Eligible Businesses and National Security Businesses under Division A, Title IV, Subtitle A of the CARES Act
• Find those and additional available resources here.

In addition to these programs, Congress plans a 4th Coronavirus stimulus package. We are working on supporting multiple EMS and healthcare support provisions, as well as concerned that insurers continue to advocate for balance billing legislation that will cause irreparable harm to our nation’s healthcare system, including air ambulance services. AAMS continues to work with its members and the critical care transport community to ensure that any legislation passed during this critical time supports our nation’s healthcare infrastructure and the thousands of emergency healthcare workers at the front-line of this crisis.

The headline changes include a total $130 billion for hospitals and health care providers, and a new $150 billion for state and local governments, dramatically expanded unemployment compensation, and oversight of the business loans provided. 

Notable healthcare and emergency response provisions include:

• $100 billion for a new program to provide direct aid to health care institutions on the front line of this crisis—hospitals, public entities, not-for-profit entities, and Medicare and Medicaid enrolled suppliers and institutional providers—to cover costs related to this public health crisis.   
• $16 billion to replenish the Strategic National Stockpile supplies of pharmaceuticals, personal protective equipment, and other medical supplies, which are distributed to State and local health agencies, hospitals and other healthcare entities facing shortages during emergencies.
• $3.5 billion for BARDA to expand the production of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics to help combat this pandemic.
• At least $250 million to expand the Hospital Preparedness Program’s support of emergency preparedness, including the National Ebola and Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC), regional, state and local special pathogens treatment centers, and hospital preparedness cooperative agreements.
• $1 billion for the Defense Production Act bolster domestic supply chains, enabling the industry to quickly ramp up production of personal protective equipment, ventilators, and other urgently needed medical supplies, and billions of dollars more for federal, state, and local health agencies to purchase such equipment. 
• $4.3 billion to support federal, state, and local public health agencies to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus, including for the purchase of personal protective equipment; laboratory testing to detect positive cases; infection control and mitigation at the local level to prevent the spread of the virus; and other public health preparedness and response activities.
• $200 million for CMS to assist nursing homes with infection control and support states’ efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus in nursing homes.
• $45 billion for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to provide for the immediate needs of the state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to protect citizens and help them recover from the overwhelming effects of COVID-19.  Reimbursable activities may include medical response, personal protective equipment, National Guard deployment, coordination of logistics, safety measures, and community services nationwide
• $400 million for FEMA grants, including :
  • $100 million Assistance to Firefighter Grants to provide personal protective equipment, supplies, and reimbursements.
  • $100 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants which focus on emergency preparedness
  • $200 million for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program which provides shelter, food, and supportive services through local service organizations.
• $200 million for CMS to assist nursing homes with infection control and support CMS and states as they work to save lives and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes.

Additional Support:

• $3.5 billion in additional funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant to provide child care assistance to health care sector employees, emergency responders, sanitation workers, and other workers deemed essential during the response to the coronavirus.

$10 billion in grants to help our nation’s airports as the aviation sector grapples with the steepest and potentially sustained decline in air travel in history.

• $15.85 billion for to help our nation’s veterans, including to help treat COVID-19, purchase test kits, and procure personal protective equipment for clinicians and $590 million in dedicated funding to treat vulnerable veterans, including homeless veterans and those in VA-run nursing homes
• $562 million to help small businesses by ensuring SBA has the resources to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to businesses that need financial support. This will help businesses keep their doors open and pay their employees.
• $425 million to increase access to mental health services in communities.

AAMS continues to engage Federal agencies on EMS issues, most notably the lack of PPE availability.

• CDC hosted a COVID-19 Update: Optimization Strategies for Healthcare Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). During this COCA Call, presenters will provide a COVID-19 update and discuss strategies for healthcare facilities to optimize personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies such as eye protection, isolation gowns, facemasks, and N95 respirators. A recap of that call is posted here:
  • https://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/2020/callinfo_032520.asp?deliveryName=USCDC_1052-DM23624
• NHTSA EMS will host a Webinar: Crisis Standards of Care and COVID-19: What EMS Needs to Know: A systems approach to developing crisis standards of care, defined as a “substantial change in unusual healthcare operations and the level of care it is possible to deliver,” is critical for EMS systems preparing for any public health emergency.
  • Date Thursday, March 26
  • Time: 3pm ET / 12pm PT
  • To register: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8950910162692013836

Additional Resources:

• Visit https://www.ems.gov/projects/coronavirus_covid-19_resources.html
• COVID-19 cost recovery for Fire and EMS departments
  • https://www.usfa.fema.gov/current_events/031820.html
• Interim Pre-pandemic Planning Guidance: Community Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Mitigation in the United States, (CDC 2007)
  • https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/pdf/community_mitigation-sm.pdf

AAMS MEMBERS PROVIDE FRONTLINE CARE DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Association requests legislative aide from VP Michael Pence

Alexandria, Va. – The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), representing the critical care transport industry – both air and ground – submitted a letter to Vice President Michael Pence this week requesting specific policy and legislative requests to assist in responding to the COVID-19 crisis as well as managing the ongoing medical needs of the communities they serve.

“Our AAMS members are working diligently on the front lines to provide critical care in communities around the world and to ensure the transportation needs of our patients can and will continue to be met,” said Cameron Curtis, AAMS President & CEO. “In some cases, this may dictate changing the mode of transport based on a number of factors including severity of the patient, distance to be traveled, capability of supporting staff and resource availability,” she added.

In the March 18 letter to Vice President Pence, Cameron and AAMS Board Chair Deborah Boudreaux requested regulatory waivers and exemptions to provide state funding for childcare reimbursement for essential emergency healthcare providers and suppliers, and prioritization of certain flights to facilitate the rapid provision of needed air ambulance transportation services. On behalf of its members, AAMS also requested a payroll tax holiday, priority access to protective equipment, exemption from National Guard or military duty, as well as specific leave and childcare support to address the challenges of EMS providers and services.

AAMS continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic in partnership with the EMS COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Working Group, hosted by the NHTSA Office of EMS and includes CDC, DHS, and DHHS Office of Preparedness, as well as multiple National EMS affiliated associations. The association is also staying apprised of updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and will provide updates as they become available on www.AAMS.org.

Established in 1980, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), is an international trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. AAMS is a non-profit 501C (6) trade association that represents and advocates on behalf of the critical care transport industry to enhance their ability to deliver quality, safe, and effective medical care and medical transportation for every patient in-need. The 2020 Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC) will be held November 2-4, 2020, in Music City Center, Nashville, TN.

We have been closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation and would like to share some relevant updates and information.

LETTER TO VICE PRESIDENT MICHAEL PENCE

Today we sent a letter to Vice President Pence and Congress asking for regulatory waivers and exemptions and legislative requests that support the critical care transport industry – both air and ground providers. You can view that letter on our website: View Here

AAMS OFFICIAL COVID-19 STATEMENT

Tomorrow we will release our official statement on COVID-19. It can be viewed on our website: View Here

COVID-19 VIRTUAL TOWN HALL

We are planning a free virtual town hall for Tuesday, March 24, from 12:00 – 1:30 pm EDT. This event is open to ALL critical care transport providers.

Please complete our interest survey by Monday, March 23, at noon EDT, so we can prepare accordingly.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YV8WZK3

Attendance is limited due to our technology capacity, so inclusion will be on a first-come first-served basis. An outlook invitation with the zoom information will be sent after the survey deadline. The meeting will be recorded and shared later that week and depending upon interest we may decide to host a second meeting.

COVID-19 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The most recent legislative update regarding US response to COVID-19 can be accessed on our website: View Here. We will continue with weekly legislative updates beginning next week, as they are available.

I understand this is a difficult time for everyone as the situation continues to evolve, but I want you all to know that I appreciate the work you are doing on the front lines to provide critical care in your communities. Please feel free to reach out to me directly if you have information you’d like to share.

Sincerely,

Cameron Curtis, CMM, CAE
President & CEO
Association of Air Medical Services & Medevac Foundation International
909 North Washington St | Suite 410 | Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 836-8732 | Mobile: (703) 338-2919
Email: ccurtis@aams.org | ccurtis@medevacfoundation.org
Websites: www.aams.org | www.medevacfoundation.org