IEMSA EMS Leadership Conference Handouts

• 2012 Legislative Agenda Talking Points
• Iowa Senate Districts with Names
• Iowa Representative with Names
• Legislator Name – Email List
• 2010 Iowa EMS Systems Standards

2012 Legislative Agenda with Talking Points
The Iowa Emergency Medical Services Association
will work for the following public policy measures:

• Amend rules within the Iowa Cares Program to allow payment for ambulance service.
  The Iowa Legislature set up the Iowa Cares Program several years ago to address the problem of getting health care to Iowa’s poor and uninsured. The program provides state funding to a variety of providers in the program. One area that the Legislature overlooked was ambulance service; there is no funding for transport of these patients to their care centers. IEMSA supports amending the Iowa Cares Program to allow EMS services to bill the state for providing ambulance service to Iowa Cares patients.
• Support legislation that would close the gap in EMS protection.
  Iowa law allows townships the option to provide emergency medical services to their citizens. IEMSA believes this leaves an incredible gap in public safety for those Iowans who live outside of the city limits, and that this needs to be changed. IEMSA supports legislation that closes this loophole and provides all Iowans, regardless of local jurisdiction, with EMS protection.
• Provide a system to reward volunteerism in public safety. This should take the form of an Iowa income tax credit.
  As the need to provide public safety services to smaller Iowa communities continues, IEMSA believes that the Legislature should look at innovative ways to promote service. IEMSA supports an individual tax credit for participants in volunteer fire and EMS programs. The tax credit should be a large enough amount to ensure that Iowans are given an incentive to join and continue to serve in these programs, which serve one of the main purposes for local governance.

We believe that job number one for every elected official is to keep Iowans safe and healthy in their homes, at work, at leisure and in transit. This includes fully funded, well-trained, and dedicated emergency medical services throughout the state.

Good government assures the safety and well-being of the citizens first and foremost, and then moves on to the other important tasks of government like education and transportation.

If you have any questions regarding the Legislative Agenda for 2012, please contact:

Thomas Craighton
IEMSA Legislative Chair
Franklin General Hospital
1720 Central Avenue East
Hampton, IA 50441
641.456.5015
Email: tcraighton@iemsa.net

IEMSA 2012 Legislative Agenda with Talking Points
Download the printable version of IEMSA's 2012 Legislative Agenda here.