California air ambulance companies are at risk of losing approximately $16 million in funding as legislation to reenact a traffic ticket fee stalls, according to EMS World.
A $4 fee on traffic tickets, which generates $8 million alone and rakes in matching federal payments, is the primary funding source for a system of air ambulances in California. The fee is set to expire Dec. 31 and multiple attempts at passing legislation to extend the fee have failed, according to the report.
Opposition to the bills extending the $4 fee comes from people trying to reduce the rising costs of traffic tickets, according to the report.
Without the additional funding from the traffic ticket fee, air ambulance companies will likely have to reduce services, EMS World reported.
"We're very concerned. This affects many people, not just in the rural areas but in urban areas as well," Eric Freed, vice president for operations of Santa Rosa, Calif.-based REACH Air Medical Services told EMS World.
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