Amended in Assembly May 23, 2014

Amended in Assembly April 3, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2406

Introduced by Assembly Member Rodriguez

February 21, 2014

An act to add and repeal Section 1797.122 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to emergency medical services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2406, as amended, Rodriguez. Emergency Medical Services Authority: misuse of emergency medical services.

Existing law requires the Emergency Medical Services Authority to develop planning and implementation guidelines for emergency medical services (EMS) systems that address several components, including, but not limited to, manpower and training, communications, transportation, and assessment of hospitals and critical care centers.

This bill would require the authority, no later than begin delete December 1, 2015, end delete begin insert July 31, 2016, end insert to begin insert prepare and submit a end insert report to the Legislature identifying programs that have been implemented in the state by local EMS agencies to address the misuse of emergency medical services. The bill would require the report to include a summary of specified information on the various approaches applied to serve those frequent EMS user transports and any recommendations for the implementation of a statewide program to address the misuse of emergency medical services. begin insert The bill would specify that the authority may satisfy the report requirement described above by working in partnership with and directing a nonprofit agency to compile and publish the information required in the report, or in lieu of a report, the bill would authorize the authority to provide for a discussion of innovative programs before local emergency medical services agencies, local governments, and private agencies that addresses the misuse of emergency medical services. end insert

begin insert

The bill would make legislative findings and declarations relating to the misuse of emergency medical services.

end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:

(a) Nonemergency calls are overloading the 911 system.

(b) The most common reasons that lead individuals to overutilize
emergency medical services transportation and emergency
departments include homelessness, mental illness, extreme poverty,
multiple health concerns, chronic physical conditions, substance
abuse, begin delete and end delete begin insert and, end insert most frequently, a lack of understanding of the
health care system and the availability of more effective and
appropriate alternatives.

(c) Frequent users of emergency medical services, commonly
referred to as ambulance “frequent flyers,” are costing California
cities millions of dollars. According to the EMS Medical Director
of the County of San Diego Emergency Medical Services, for
example, 1,136 frequent users utilized the emergency medical
services (EMS) system at least six times in 2012 and generated
more than $20 million in ambulance and paramedic charges.

SEC. 2.  

Section 1797.122 is added to the Health and Safety
Code, to read:

1797.122.  

(a)  begin delete The end delete begin insert Except as provided in subdivision (d), the end insert
authority shall prepare and submit a report to the Legislature
identifying programs that have been implemented in the state by
local emergency medical services agencies to address the misuse
of emergency medical services. The report shall include all of the
following:

(1) A summary of the different programs implemented by local
emergency medical services agencies to address the misuse of
emergency medical services, including specific information on the
various approaches applied to serve those frequent EMS user
transports, such as:

(A) Identification and prioritization.

(B) Medical assessments.

(C) Care management or comprehensive care.

(D) Ongoing support via home visits or telephone calls.

(E) Support to the patient and family by directing the patient
and his or her family to available resources such as health insurance
coverage, access to primary care and mental health services,
begin delete transportation end delete begin insert transportation end insert begin insert , end insert and other relevant social services.

(F) The financial impact of servicing frequent EMS user
transports, including funding sources and the costs of providing
these services.

(G) Best practices.

(H) Cost-saving measures to offset frequent EMS user transport
expenses.

(2) Any recommendations for the implementation of a statewide
program to address the misuse begin delete and abuse end delete of emergency medical
services.

(b) The report shall be submitted to the Legislature no later than
begin delete December 1, 2015. end delete begin insert July 31, 2016. end insert

(c) (1) A report submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.

(2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this
section is repealed on January 1, 2019.

begin insert

(d) To satisfy the report requirement described in subdivision
(a), the authority may do either of the following:

end insert begin insert

(1) Work in a partnership with and direct a nonprofit agency
to compile and publish the information described in subdivision
(a). The authority shall provide this information to the Legislature
in accordance with subdivisions (b) and (c).

end insert begin insert

(2) In lieu of a report, the authority may provide for a discussion
of innovative programs before local emergency services agencies,
local governments, and private agencies that addresses the misuse
of emergency medical services.

end insert