South Carolina hospital seeks to scale back EMS services amid funding shortfall

Mary Black Health System-Gaffney (S.C.), a 125-bed, acute care facility, said it is not financially able to continue providing emergency medical services in Cherokee County, according to a Ledger report.

The hospital plans to stop providing these services in the South Carolina county as of June 1, 2018, the report states.

The healthcare organization attributed the decision to a $2.7 million Medicaid reimbursement shortfall, as well as an uptick in EMS call volume and lack of payment for services.

"It is our understanding that every county in South Carolina — except for one — funds its local EMS, just as they do for other essential services like fire and police. Mary Black [Health-Gaffney] cannot continue to subsidize the county's financial responsibility for EMS," the healthcare organization's CEO, Josh Self, wrote in his letter to Cherokee County Council Chairman Tim Spencer, according to the Ledger.

Currently, the hospital provides EMS services to Cherokee County via third parties Upstate Carolina EMS and Ambustar Ambulance. Both third parties plan to terminate their service Jan. 14, although the hospital is negotiating for an extension of that termination date, according to the report.

The Ledger reports Mary Black Health-Gaffney ultimately wants the county to slowly take full financial responsibility for EMS services by July 1. The county has not yet made a final decision on the hospital's request. 

 

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