NY State legislation calls for recognizing Emergency Medical Services as 'essential'

New York is among 39 states in the US that does not recognize Emergency Medical Services as “essential.”

An effort to change that is underway in the form of New York Senate Bill S0420 (posted online at tinyurl.com/NY-Sen-4020), the stated aim of which is to "establish an Emergency Medical Services Quality and Sustainability Assurance Program, a statewide Comprehensive Emergency Medical System Plan, and an Emergency Medical Systems Training Program," and also designate EMS as an essential service. 

Supporters of the legislation say it will “ensure EMS is properly funded so that all New Yorkers have access to a timely ambulance in their time of need.”