FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: February 05, 2020
Time Requested: 09:26 AM |
| Agency: |
Health and Human Resources, WV Department of |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 2318 |
Introduced |
HB4688 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
Health |
|---|
|
FUND(S):
N/A
Sources of Revenue:
Special Fund
Legislation creates:
Creates New Fund:
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
The purpose of this bill is to transfer 0.5 percent of Medicaid surplus funds to the Emergency Medical Services Equipment and Training Fund.
The estimated surplus on June 30, 2020 in the Medical Services fund is $309 million. A transfer of 0.5% would equate to approximately $1,545,000. Reducing the amount of funds allocated to Medicaid will affect future projections for the Department's Bureau for Medical Services. Current projections indicate a budget deficit in FY2024 and FY2025 of almost $17 million and $88 million, respectively.
While the Emergency Medicaid Services Equipment and Training Fund is currently established in code, the fund has not been established as there was no revenues to carryout the allowable functions.
Currently, there are about 202 EMS agencies in West Virginia that are responsible for about 1,200 ambulances and employ a total staff of approximately 7,400 people, including emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, and critical care professionals. Even though equipment and training needs vary across EMS agencies, the Bureau for Public Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) recognizes that there are agencies using older equipment items that are on the verge of being obsolete and not all of them have financial resources to replace them. OEMS also recognizes the need for additional training for EMS agencies and personnel in the areas of business assistance, software, and advanced EMT trainings. There is a shortage of paramedics in West Virginia, so it is particularly important that higher education courses be available to assist agencies with increasing the number of paramedics across the state.
According to information provided from EMS agencies it is estimated that FY2021 expenses would be $1,505,000 and revenue of $1,545,000 to the fund, should this proposed legislation become effective. Training and equipment in future years would be dependent on available funds.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2020
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2021
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Repairs and Alterations |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Assets |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2. Estimated Total Revenues |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
The estimated $1,505,000 in Current Expense for FY2021 is to award subrecipient grant agreements to assist EMS agencies with equipment and training needs. The Department estimates that the cost of current equipment needs is $1,287,200 and includes EKG 12-Lead Simulator (Qty: 48) that include a bag and tablet computer at $76,800 (48 x $1,600); Critical Care Transport (CCT) Ventilator (Qty: 8) for EMS CCT agencies at $8,000 (8 x $1,000); Test Lung - Adult (Qty: 48) at $2,400 (48 x $50); and Isolette equipment (Qty: 8) that includes IV pump, vent, cardiac monitor, 02/nitrogen blender, stretcher, stretcher mount, etc.) at $1,200,000 (8 x $150,000). It is estimated that the cost of current training needs is $ 217,800 and includes business assistance training workshop for EMS agencies at $30,800; Excel training workshop for Trauma Registrars and Trauma/Program managers at $5,000; and scholarships for advanced EMT ($91,000) and Mobile Integrated Healthcare-Community Paramedicine ($91,000) higher education courses for EMS agencies personnel for a total of $182,000.
Memorandum
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Bill J. Crouch
Email Address: dhhrbudgetoffice@wv.gov