American Ambulance Association calls for more money for nation's '911 emergency medical system'

The American Ambulance Association said in a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services that more money is needed to support the nation's emergency medical apparatus.

According to NBC News the letter warned that “the 911 emergency medical system throughout the United States is at a breaking point. Without additional relief, it seems likely to break, even as we enter the third surge of the virus in the Mid-West and the West.”  

The letter reportedly called for $2.62 billion in funding for paramedics and emergency medical techs comprising ambulance services throughout the nation.

"Private EMS services, both in urban and rural centers across the country, collectively received $350 million in Covid-19 relief funds in April, but those companies said that money ran out within weeks," according to NBC News.

"An HHS spokesperson said the agency has delivered nearly $107 billion to more than 550,000 providers across the country and opened a third round of funding of $20 billion last month, which they said is available to ambulance services," the outlet reported. "That third phase of funding, however, comes with a limit. It’s available to every health care provider and supplier up to 2 percent of their 2019 revenue. EMS services said they’re thankful for the money, but it won’t keep them from potentially going under," NBC News said.