EMS Professionals Encouraged to Register for EMS on the Hill Day 2012

EMS professionals are being encouraged to register for EMS on the Hill Day to be held on March 21, 2012, in Washington, D.C.

The event, hosted by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), aims to bring providers together to tell their members of Congress about the challenges they face in EMS, and to advocate for key EMS legislation.

The goals of EMS on the Hill Day are to:

• Include representation from all sectors of the EMS community
• Send a consistent message to elected leaders on the important issues facing EMS in our country
• Build and strengthen relationships with Senate and House leaders and their staff

Program highlights will include:

• March 20, 2 p.m. — As an added benefit for 2012, attendees will be able to participate, free of change, in the Reimbursement Task Force meeting of the American Ambulance Association at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20, at the Washington Plaza Hotel. The meeting will address reimbursement issues affecting EMS and will discuss health care reform, Medicare ambulance relief and other hot topics.
• March 20, 5 p.m. — Participants will meet for an informative pre-Hill visit briefing.
• March 21, morning/afternoon — Participants will attend scheduled appointments with their Senate and House leaders and their staff to talk about challenges they face and EMS legislation that can help.
• March 21, evening — Participants will relax and gather for a post-Hill visit reception.

The Washington Plaza Hotel serves as headquarters for the event.

"This event is hosted by NAEMT to help ensure that EMS has a strong voice in the nation’s capitol and in government decisions that affect EMS practitioners and their ability to provide quality care to their patients," said Jim Judge, Director, Region II, and NAEMT Advocacy Committee Chair, in a prepared statement.

"Please join me and EMS professionals from throughout the nation as we work to educate our congressional leaders on EMS issues and advocate for the passage of key EMS legislation. The success of this event depends on participation from the EMS community, so please join us as we work to make EMS on the Hill Day 2012 the best year yet."

Registration is now open at www.naemt.org.