NOTICES

Notice of EMSOF Funding Priorities

[31 Pa.B. 4496]

   Under 28 Pa. Code §§ 1001.22 and 1001.23 (relating to criteria for funding; and allocation of funds), the Department of Health (Department) hereby gives notice of priorities for the distribution by the regional emergency medical services (EMS) councils of funding from the Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund (EMSOF) for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2001, and ending June 30, 2002.

   EMSOF is to be used to provide funding to maintain, improve and develop the quality of the EMS system within this Commonwealth. The Department finds that EMSOF is not sufficient to fully fund the EMS system. Therefore, it gives notice, under 28 Pa. Code § 1001.22(d), that recipients of EMSOF moneys from regional EMS councils will be required to contribute funds toward the purchase of items the Department permits to be purchased, in part, with EMSOF monies.

   Each regional EMS council shall prioritize the distribution of its EMSOF allocation based upon the Statewide EMS Development Plan and its regional EMS development plan, subject to the funding priorities set forth in this notice. The regional EMS council shall notify the providers and other appropriate entities of the established funding priorities, the application process, acquisition documentation requirements and processing deadlines. All funding must be distributed consistent with the regional and Statewide EMS development plans. Each regional EMS council must complete all documents required for the distribution of EMSOF monies by June 30, 2002.

   Although funding is authorized for other initiatives and equipment, the following are priorities that must be considered and funded first:

Funding Priorities:

   *  Response equipment to meet BLS and ALS ambulance service licensure.

   *  Capnography Equipment (especially wave-form end-tidal CO₂ monitor).

   *  AEDs for Department recognized QRSs and licensed BLS ambulance services if other funding sources do not exist.

   *  Recruitment and retention programs in areas with high prehospital personnel vacancy rates as determined by the regional EMS council.

   *  Training equipment required to teach the EMT-Paramedic National Standard Curriculum.

   *  Testing equipment required to support National Registry testing for EMTs and paramedics testing.

   *  An ambulance for ambulance services that operated a single ambulance older than 10 years.

   *  Communication equipment and capabilities for areas with poor to no communication capability with medical command.

   *  Quality Assurance/Improvement initiatives.

These priorities are not ranked. All must be considered before there is any regional distribution of EMSOF for initiatives that are not listed.

Provider Equipment:

   The Department has established a list of equipment for which EMSOF moneys will be made available to purchase. This list identifies the types of providers of EMS eligible for equipment purchases supported by EMSOF funding and the maximum allowable cost upon which the EMSOF contribution will be calculated. EMSOF will fund 60% of the maximum allowable cost of an equipment item for rural providers and will fund 50% of the maximum allowable cost of an equipment item for nonrural providers. An eligible provider is responsible for the balance of the purchase price. An eligible provider may purchase an item for an amount that exceeds the maximum allowable cost, but the provider will be responsible for any amount exceeding that figure. Funds for equipment purchases by providers for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2001, and ending June 30, 2002, must be expended by June 30, 2002, unless a written request for an extension of time, not to exceed 90 calendar days, is submitted by the regional EMS council and approved by the Department prior to June 30, 2002.

   The Department may increase the amount of the initial payment or reimbursement from EMSOF based upon the EMS development plans (State and regional) or documented financial hardship of a provider of EMS. A provider of EMS that seeks additional funds due to financial hardship shall be required to submit a financial disclosure statement and other documentation deemed necessary by the Department.

   A provider of EMS applying for EMSOF funding must be in compliance, or aggressively pursuing full compliance, with all requirements applicable to the regional EMS system in which the provider of EMS operates.

   Following is the Eligible Provider Equipment List that lists the equipment eligible for EMSOF support. The last two columns of the list identify the percentage of EMSOF contribution towards the purchase price, up to the maximum allowable cost of the item, based upon whether the provider operates in a rural or nonrural area.

   Persons with a disability who require an alternative format of this notice (for example, large print, audiotape, Braille), should contact Margaret Trimble, Director, Emergency Medical Services Office, Department of Health, P. O. Box 90 Harrisburg, PA 17108-0090, (717) 787-8740 or at V/TT: (717) 783-6154 for speech and/or hearing impaired persons or the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 [TT].

Eligible Provider Equipment List

Equipment Description	Life	Eligible Purchase For:				Allowable	Urban	Rural
	Expectancy	ALS	ALS/SQ	BLS	QRS	Costs1	(50%)	(60%)
EKG Monitor/Defibrillator with Pacer	5 years	Y	Y	N	N	10,000	5,000	6,000
12 Lead EKG2	5 years	Y	Y	N	N	16,000	8,000	9,600
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)	5 years	N	N	Y3	Y3	3,500	1,750	2,100
Oxygen Equipment (any combination)    Cylinder    Demand Valve w/Hose & Mask    Regulator (combination or constant flow)    Case	5 years	Y	Y	Y	Y	500	250	300
Capnography Equipment	3 years	Y	Y	N	N	3,000	1,500	1,800
Pulse Oximeter	5 years	Y	Y	N	N	700	350	420
Nitrous Oxide Delivery System	5 years	Y	Y	N	N	2,000	1,000	1,200
Intravenous Infusion Pumps	5 years	Y	Y	N	N	1,500	750	900
Adult /Pediatric Intubation Kits	5 years	Y8	Y8	N	N	400	200	240
Transtracheal Jet Insufflators (TTJ)	5 years	Y	Y	N	N	200	100	120
Splinting/Immobilization Devices (any combination)    Backboard    Cervical Immobilization Device    Splints (rigid, traction, and the like)	3 years	Y	Y	Y	Y	500	250	300
Stairchair	5 years	Y	N	Y	N	600	300	360
Stretcher--Primary	5 years	Y	N	Y	N	3,000	1,500	1,800
Stretcher/Chair Combination	5 years	Y	N	Y	N	700	350	420
Suction (portable, battery operated)	3 years	Y	Y	Y	Y	500	250	300
Ventilator, Automatic (per Department of Health guidelines)	5 years	Y4	Y4	Y5	Y5	1,400	700	840
Ambulance	--	Y	N	Y	N	--	15,000	20,000
Squad/Response Vehicle	--	N	Y	N	Y	--	7,500	9,000
Data Collection Software6	--	Y	Y	Y	Y	1,700	1,700	1,700
Data Collection Hardware7	3 years	Y	Y	Y	Y	1,500	750	900
Radio, Mobile (one per vehicle)	5 years	Y9	Y9	Y9	Y9	2,500	1,250	1,500
Radio, Portable (one per vehicle)	3 years	Y9	Y9	Y9	Y9	1,000	500	600
Alerting Equipment (5 per service @ $400 each)	5 years	Y9	Y9	Y9	Y9	2,000	1,000	1,200

¹ All figures are dollar amounts for each item of equipment.
² Amount includes $1,000 for communications package. Receiving facility must have appropriate communications capabilities.
³ Must be an approved AED service or part of regional planning and medical director required.
⁴ Completion of approved training program required.
⁵ Completion of approved training program required; BLS service medical director approval required.
⁶ Must be a Department approved software program, version and vendor.
⁷ Data collection hardware may include computer, modem, printer, backup device and battery system.
⁸ Must be durable equipment, not disposable equipment.
⁹ Must be compatible with approved communications network.

ROBERT S. ZIMMERMAN, Jr.   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 01-1469. Filed for public inspection August 10, 2001, 9:00 a.m.]

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