News

Yesterday, ambulance industry professionals from 23 companies across four states convened at Professional EMS in Cambridge for the 2016 MAA Best Practices Summit. 

The Summit featured short, intense peer-to-peer education on topics ranging from transporting Ebola patients to mobile integrated health to the Coverdell Stroke Collaborative.

Check out more photos on the Massachusetts Ambulance Association Facebook page!

MAA members, you can access slide presentations shared by speakers on the Meeting Archive page.

(Special thanks to our sponsors Solutions Group, InSight Mobile Data, and the CT EMS Expo.)

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Paramedic John Lynch, 60. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues.

Read Mr. Lynch's obituary in the Worcester Gazette.

Congratulations to the Massachusetts Ambulance Association's Vice President, Ron Quaranto, on his election to the American Ambulance Association board of directors. Ron will represent AAA Region One through 2018.

Read AAA's interview with Ron.

Congratulations to MAA member Trinity EMS and partner FirstWatch for their selection as the 2016 American Ambulance Association AMBY winner for Best Use of Technology. Trinity and FirstWatch joined forces to fight the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts.

• Read their winning entry on the AAA site.
• Learn more about the project in the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS).
• See more in the Lowell Sun.

Brian K Andrews, President of Western Massachusetts EMS, asked that we share the following with you.

Linda J. Moriarty Celebration of Life

Please Join Us

Thursday December 1, 2016 from 6 PM – 9 PM at Union Station Ballroom, Northampton, MA

• 6:00 PM-7:00 PM   Social Hour.  Cash Bar and a variety of butler-style hors d’oeuvres. Music by one of Linda’s favorite local entertainers, Noah Lis
  
• 7:00 PM  Event begins, Invited Speakers        Your Host: R.F. Conway, MD
  
• 830 PM     Raise a Toast to LJM 

TICKETS REQUIRED:

Thanks to the generous support of the WMEMS Regional Board, the first 150 PAID tickets are only $20

After #150, tickets reserved or purchased by Monday November 21 at 5 pm are $25. You may reserve a ticket at the $25 price and pay at the door. (Reserved tickets will be billed regardless of actual attendance.)  Beginning November 22 or At-The-Door, tickets are $30.

Funds exceeding event expenses will be donated to  “Rays of Hope “and the” Dakin Humane Society” in Linda’s Name.  There will also be optional donation opportunities on-site.

Make checks payable to WMEMS    For more information or to reserve/purchase tickets please contact:

• Nancy Morrissey, Nancy_Morrissey@AMR-EMS.com ( cash, check)
  
• Deb Clapp, debclapp@comcast.net,   413-695-5278  (cash, check, paypal )
  
• Lisa Herringshaw, lherringshaw@wmems.org   586-6065 (cash, check, paypal )
  
• Lisa Rhoades, Lrhoades@aeiouhc.com     or (413) 427-8466 (cash or check)
  
• Sandra Mizula, mizulas@gcc.mass.edu  or (413)522-7431 (cash, check)
  
• Dawn Josefski  josefski@gcc.mass.edu or (413) 575-3558 (cash, check)
  

 

Brian K. Andrews, EMTP
President
Western Massachusetts Emergency Medical Services
(413)499-2527
(413)281-7209 cell
www.wmems.org

The board of the Massachusetts Ambulance Association is proud to serve the needs of some of the finest EMS providers in the state. 

Over the past year, the MAA board has delivered to members legislative and regulatory advocacy excellence, a redesigned website, a new social media presence, and an enhanced benefit package featuring member savings and more. Now, more than ever, the MAA needs your continued support.

As befits the MAA's history of frugality, the board has not raised dues in several years. In 2017, to keep pace with the costs of our ongoing advocacy, legal, and operations needs, a slight increase is reflected below. 

• Active (voting) members: $275 fee, plus $110 per ambulance ($3500 cap)
• Associate (municipal/gov) members: $550
• Affiliate (vendor) members: $1100

Please contact maa@the-aaa.org should you have any questions or concerns about the dues change.

Thank you again for your continued support, and we look forward to serving your ambulance service for many years to come.

It was wonderful to see the founder of MAA member Armstrong Ambulance Service *Official Page*, William F. Armstrong, recognized for his generosity in the naming of the Armstrong Ambulance Entrance at the new Lahey Hospital & Medical Center ER. (Hat tip to Cataldo Ambulance Service's Ron Quaranto!)

See photos of the ER opening reception on the MAA Facebook page.

The Massachusetts Ambulance Association now has its very own Facebook page. "Like" MAA from your organizational and personal accounts to keep up-to-date with your fellow members.

MAA Facebook Page

Thanks to the many Massachusetts Ambulance Association members who joined the board for the September 20 Membership Meeting in Bedford, MA. Below are  a few photos of members and leaders in action! 

(MAA members, review the meeting agenda, minutes, and roster on the Meeting Archive page.)

From MAA Secretary Tyler to All Members:

Good morning everyone. Please note that MassHealth has sent an updated to its Transportation Bulletin 16 which makes firm the exclusive requirement for services to use the MassHealth MNF. To be abundantly clear, not other forms will be accepted.

What does this mean? It means that as of 09/07/2016 (the date of the release of the updated transmittal), MassHealth will only accept its form. This transmittal closes a loop-hole for the use of other medical necessity forms by stating, “Neither previous MassHealth forms nor forms created by transportation providers will be considered valid authorization for such transportation.”

Additionally , please note the annual requirement for the completion of CORI checks for your employees. “130 CMR 407.405, all transportation providers must ensure that before having any contact with a MassHealth member, drivers and attendants undergo a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check. Documentation of the CORI check must remain on file at the transportation provider’s place of business and a new check for each driver and attendant must be conducted annually thereafter” [emphasis added].

Please contact the MAA with any questions or MassHealth Customer Service Center at 1-800-841-2900, e-mail your inquiry to providersupport@mahealth.net, or fax your inquiry to 617-988-8974.

Regards,
PST

From: Publications Unit [mailto:ehs-publications@state.ma.us] 
Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2016 2:15 PM
To: Sean Tyler
Subject: MassHealth Provider Publications

Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2016 2:15 PM

To: Sean Tyler

Subject: MassHealth Provider Publications

You are on our list to receive notice when new MassHealth bulletins and transmittal letters are posted on the web. MassHealth has issued the following publications.

Provider Bulletins

http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/laws-regs/masshealth/provider-library/provider-bulletins/2016-bulletins.html

To view and download other MassHealth publications, go to www.mass.gov/masshealth and click on Provider Library.                                                                                                                     

To remove your e-mail address from this subscription list, send a blank e-mail to leave-masshealth-provider-pubs@listserv.state.ma.us. No text in the body or subject line is needed.  This subscription service is separate from automatic provider mailings.  MassHealth providers should choose the way that they prefer to receive bulletins and transmittal letters. To choose, go to www.mass.gov/eohhs/provider/insurance/masshealth and click on Online Services or call MassHealth Customer Service at 1-800-841-2900.

Nonproviders who request that their e-mail address be removed from this subscription list will no longer receive e-mail alerts announcing when new bulletins and transmittal letters have been posted to the MassHealth web site.