We are delighted to announce the results of the 2023 elections for the Professional Ambulance Association of Wisconsin, which transpired at the Annual Meeting on November 3, 2023. The newly elected directors are set to play pivotal roles in guiding our organization to new horizons.

Please join us in congratulating Scott Mickelson of Bell Ambulance, who has been elected as For Profit Director. Daniel Althaus of Orange Cross Ambulance will be taking on the role of Nonprofit Director, while Robert Lulling of Marquette County EMS has been elected as Government Director. Their diverse backgrounds and expertise will undoubtedly enrich our board's perspectives.

In addition to the directors, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the elected officers who will continue to lead the association with dedication and skill. Chris Anderson of Bell Ambulance will continue to serve as President, Nick Romenesko of Gold Cross Ambulance as Vice President, Tom Tornstrom of Gundersen Ambulance as Treasurer, and Daniel Althaus of Orange Cross Ambulance will continue in the role of Secretary.

We look forward to the collaborative efforts of our newly elected directors and officers as we work together to advance the mission of the Professional Ambulance Association of Wisconsin.

The Professional Ambulance Association of Wisconsin is proud to announce our 2023 Star of Life recipients. This year, 28 individuals are being recognized as a Wisconsin Star of Life.

Meet Our 2023 Stars

2023 marks our twelfth Wisconsin Stars of Life event. Creating space and opportunity to recognize those who show up for their communities, and share that celebration with their family and friends who support them, is truly a joy. 

These 28 dedicated EMS Professionals will be celebrated at a dinner banquet in Madison, WI on October 10, 2023. 

We have some positive updates regarding the Wisconsin ambulance assessment initiative.

Over the past months, we have been working with our lobbyist to pass Senate Bill 157 and on August 4, Governor Evers signed the bill into law. This law officially allows federal funding of this program to move through the state to the providers once the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approves the initiative.

To that end, we also reached another milestone in the CMS approval process at the end of June when DHS published an official public notice describing the program. Currently PAAW is working with DHS on the next steps in the process to finalize the program design that will be submitted to CMS. Approval can take a few months depending on any questions CMS may have and if they may ask for changes in the program design. With that said, we have made important progress these last few months on getting this program in place and securing supplemental funding for our industry for years to come.

We will communicate our progress as we work closely with DHS and continue to reach these important milestones.

Dear Ground Ambulance Providers and Suppliers,

Starting January 1, 2023, ground ambulance organizations selected in  Year 1 and Year 2 are required to report cost, utilization, revenue, and other information to CMS within 5 months after your data collection period ends. Organizations that fail to report may be subject to a 10% payment reduction. 

Ground ambulance organizations selected in Year 3 and Year 4 will begin collecting data in 2023 and reporting data beginning in 2024. 

Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System: Office Hours Session — April 27

Thursday, April 27 from 2–3 pm ET

Register for this webinar.                      

We divided the office hours session into 2 topics:

• 2–2:30 pm: CMS will answer live questions on the data collection requirements (such as what am I required to collect and when do I report?).  This part of the session is for all selected organizations in Years 1–4.
• 2:30–3 pm: We’ll answer live questions about registering and requesting access to the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System portal. This part is for selected organizations in Years 1–2 who are required to report beginning in 2023.

Visit Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System for:

• Lists of ground ambulance organizations selected in Years 1–2 required to collect information starting in 2022 and report information starting in 2023
• Organizations selected in Years 3–4 required to collect information starting in 2023 and report information starting in 2024
• FAQs

CMS has opened registration for the first set of meetings for the Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing Advisory Committee (GAPBAC). The meetings are scheduled for May 2 and 3. To register for the virtual meetings, please click here.

The formal notice of the meetings was posted in today’s Federal Register. To access a copy of the formal notice, please click here.

Our 2022 Wi Star of Life Recipients will be recognized at a welcome reception and dinner to include an awards ceremony in Madison, WI on Wednesday, October 5, 2022.