News

Thanks to Pro EMS for hosting the 2018 MAA Operations Summit, as well as Prodigy EMS and ER Maps for sponsoring! Check out photos on Facebook!

Dear MAA Member:

First, I would like to wish everybody a happy and healthy new year!  Second, I would like to thank the ten members who voted in this year’s elections. Lastly, I would like to congratulate the recently elected Board. The election results are as follows:

Board

Thank you,

Christopher Cifra, Esq.
Managing Partner
Cifra, Gibson & Dougan, LLP

The Mass Ambulance Association wishes EMS providers and their families a safe and happy holiday season! Thank you for your service to our state.

There was a full house at today's MAA membership meeting at Pro EMS in Cambridge. Members from across the state joined the board to hear updates on advocacy progress, education, and more. Additionally, members heard from 9th District Congressional Candidate Peter Tedeschi, as well as new vendor member MNA Risk Management.

View photos on Facebook>

Thank you to Massachusetts ambulance services! Your selfless dedication is deeply appreciated.

2nd Annual BFit First Responder Challenge
January 28, 2018 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
TD Garden

The 2nd Annual First Responder Challenge powered by National Grid will take place Sunday, January 28, 2018, at TD Garden. This one-of-a-kind event invites local first responders and fitness enthusiasts from all over New England to participate in a course throughout TD Garden and offers friends and families a day filled with activities and fun.

The event takes place to raise awareness around health and wellness and to support The 100 Club of Massachusetts, a charity that supports the families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who are killed in the line of duty.

Learn more on the Boston Bruins website!

The MAA Board of Directors have been hard at work on Beacon Hill working to correct the issues involving our industry as part of the HEALTH Act. Originally, this bill placed a cap rates that would have set non-participating provider rates at 160% of the prevailing Medicare amount. Quoting the Mass. Municipal Association (MMA) the impact on local EMS to be a reduction “…by as much as 50% if this rate-capping language becomes law.”  The broad based impact that this measure would have had on our industry is devastating to every ambulance operator.  We have been actively working in advance of the bill being released to contain its impact by participating as part of the MA Senate’s Special Committee on Healthcare Cost Containment Roundtable and meeting Senate leadership over the course of five months.

We are pleased to report that the redrafted Senate cost containment bill shows that EMS language has been struck from the bill.  This is a significant achievement by all of us (MMA, PFFM, FCAM and MAA) collectively.  Thank you to our partners for participating in all of the meetings to date and committing their respective organizations to fixing what would have been a disaster to EMS providers across the state.  We still have more work to do in the Senate and House but it is a significant achievement to have the Senate on record not wanting to cut EMS funding.  The Senate President’s office, Senate Ways and Means and Senate Health Care Finance staff were very accommodating to us throughout this process and I am very pleased that they listened to us and ultimately removed the language.

Many thanks to EMS Pro for sponsoring today's Billing Summit, as well as presenters Brian Werfel, Esq, Asbel Montes, Brian Choate, and Scott Moore, Esq. We also deeply appreciate Trinity EMS hosting the event!

View photos on Facebook!

Congratulations to MAA member Cataldo Ambulance Service on the celebration of their 40th anniversary. More on Facebook►

MAA was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of this respected member of our community.

Paramedic Scott MacAskill passed away this past Saturday at his home in Ipswich.  Scott has been involved in the MA EMS community for over 20 years with AMR, Cataldo, Northshore Ambulance, Action, Northeast Regional, Brewster, and for the last 5 years with Beauport. 

Scott had a positive influence on not only the patients in which he treated but also his peers in which he took pride and joy in teaching. 

Scott has left a hole that will never be filled within our family of employees and I kindly ask that you send a uniformed crew and truck for a walk through at Scott's wake.  Let's show him the respect and honor he rightfully deserves.   Below are the details for his service.   Please don't hesitate to contact me if you should have any questions.  

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS. 

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The arrangements for Scott's visiting hours are as follows:
Wednesday August 9th 4p until 8p
Weir Mac Cuish Family Funeral Home
144 Salem St. 
Malden, MA

EMS/POLICE/FIRE, you are welcome and encouraged to show up in uniform as well as in a EMS, police, or fire vehicle. Let's all show the respect and final farewell that Scott deserves.

Thursday morning 10am there will be a service at the funeral home only. No church or graveside service will occurr.

Respectfully,

John R. Morris
President

Beauport Ambulance Service, Inc.