Oklahoma's EMS Crisis

Ambulance providers, like hospital emergency departments, provide care to every person who requests it regardless of whether he has the ability to pay. The system guarantees each individual in the community access to emergency life-saving care. However, requiring ambulances to respond to all calls without ensuring payment for uncompensated care is an unfunded mandate that's bankrupting many providers, thereby hampering access for both insured and uninsured people in the community. Since early 2000, nearly 50 Oklahoma ambulance providers have gone out of business.

In 2005, Governor Brad Henry formed an EMS Readiness Task Force (on which EMSA Senior Vice President Ann Singer served) to study the funding crisis and other issues plaguing Oklahoma ambulance providers. Click here to read the task force's final report on the matter.