VIDEO: Weโre learning new details about how the federal government shutdown is impacting local emergency services.
For days, ambulance crews say Medicare reimbursements were on hold, leaving them uncertain about when theyโd see payments for calls made after October 1. But that changed as we were reporting the story.
โThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provided us notification that they were going to be holding all claims payments starting October 1,โ said Philip Salamone, Director of Operations for Lower Alsace Ambulance.
In the middle of our interview with Salamone, he received word that the federal government had just lifted the hold. Ambulance companies can now reapply for funding, though payments could still be delayed by up to two weeks.
Local leaders believe the reversal came after pushback from EMS providers nationwide.
โFortunately, theyโre not in a position where this is going to threaten that in the short term,โ said Hunter Ahrens, Mt. Penn Borough manager.
