BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 2406
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 9, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                  AB 2406 (Rodriguez) - As Amended:  April 3, 2014 

          Policy Committee:                              HealthVote:13-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Emergency Medical Services Authority  
          (EMSA) to, by Dec. 1, 2015, produce a report documenting local  
          programs in place to address the misuse and abuse of emergency  
          medical services, and to make recommendations to inform a  
          statewide program.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Costs to EMSA of $135,000 GF to produce the required report.

           COMMENTS  

           Purpose  .  The author indicates so-called "frequent flyers" who  
          abuse emergency medical services impose significant costs and  
          stress on California EMS systems.  As an example, he cites data  
          from the County of San Diego Emergency Medical Services,  
          indicating 1,136 frequent users used the EMS system at least six  
          times in 2012 and generated more than $20 million in ambulance  
          and paramedic charges. He states it is common for these  
          individuals to request ambulance transport in order to get a  
          free ride or faster service at a hospital emergency department.   
           This bill directs EMSA to examine best practices and make  
          recommendations to address the problem more systematically. 
          
           Analysis Prepared by  :    Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081