Village of East Rockaway & East Rockaway Fire Department Implement State Law Beginning November 1 to Recoup EMS Service Costs Through Patient Insurance, Alleviating Taxpayer Burden and Strengthening Local Emergency Response

EAST ROCKAWAY, NY - The Village of East Rockaway is taking proactive measures to support taxpayers by harnessing the recently enacted New York State EMS Cost Recovery Act. This law empowers volunteer fire departments, like the East Rockaway Volunteer Fire Department (ERFD), to seek reimbursement from insurance providers for emergency medical services (EMS) rendered, rather than relying solely on taxpayer funding.

The New York State EMS Cost Recovery Act arrives at a crucial time, especially as ambulance services associated with volunteer fire departments now make up 46% of all such services across the state. According to the Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY), “New York is the only state that prohibited fire department billing for ambulance services…The 465 [volunteer] fire departments prohibited from billing lost over $100 million annually in health insurance reimbursements. Until now, taxpayers had to fund those losses. Tax caps and hard financial times have forced many fire department ambulances to cease operations, primarily in rural and suburban communities.”

According to East Rockaway Mayor Gordon Fox, the implementation of this law locally will remove a significant financial burden from village residents, allowing vital resources to flow back into the East Rockaway Fire Department. “Our village and its first responders have faced mounting operational expenses. By capturing insurance reimbursements, we can continue to support our EMS while reducing that tax burden on village residents.

“Rising expenses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic have also stretched EMS budgets. For many volunteer departments, providing EMS at no additional cost has become increasingly unsustainable. In response, the Village of East Rockaway’s adoption of this state legislation not only alleviates pressure on local taxpayers but also ensures continuity in life-saving services.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency medical service costs surged around the state adding further strain on volunteer fire departments, some of which were forced to discontinue ambulatory services altogether, noted Mayor Fox. “Thanks to the EMS Cost Recovery Act, the East Rockaway Fire Department can now secure non-taxpayer funding through insurance billing, enabling us to keep providing critical emergency services without passing on the costs to our residents,” Fox added.

Chief Shane Vesce of the East Rockaway Fire Department highlighted the significance of the new law, saying, “For decades, volunteer fire departments with EMS teams across Long Island and New York had to solely rely on taxpayer funding for services that could have been covered by insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. Effective November 1, 2024, ERFD will directly bill insurance for ambulance services, ensuring that taxpayers are not the sole financiers of these crucial emergency response costs.”

Vesce added that the state law mandates that funds recovered through this process be reinvested into covering EMS expenses, ensuring that East Rockaway Fire Department’s emergency services remain sustainable and well-resourced.

“I’m glad the Department is harnessing this state law; this funding route is a strategic step toward more responsible financing of emergency medical services, enabling continuous, quality service to our community members,” Vesce concluded.

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