Congress makes decisions that impact EMS nationwide. At EMS On The Hill Day (March 25-26, 2026), we focus on priorities that matter most to EMS clinicians and patients. The issues discussed in 2026 include:
- Payment for service—not just transport (Treat-in-Place)
- Investing in Mobile Integrated Healthcare – Community Paramedicine (MIH-CP)
- Ensuring the EMS workforce is counted accurately
- Provide grant opportunities for recruitment, retention, and training in rural areas
Support Reimbursement for Treatment in Place (TIP)
Request your Senate and House lawmakers to please support S. 3145 / H.R. 2538, the Comprehensive Alternative Response for Emergencies (CARE) Act, introduced by Reps. Mike Carey (R-OH), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Peter Welch (D-VT). These bills would create a pilot program to test and evaluate the Treatment In Place (TIP) model under the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). Many patients who call 9-1-1 have non-emergency medical conditions that do not require transport to the emergency department and could be more appropriately managed on-scene, potentially in conjunction with a telemedicine physician or a subsequent referral to a primary care physician. Payment for TIP will:
- Allow EMS agencies to implement patient-centric protocols for patients who use the 9-1-1 system but have conditions that can be treated in the home.
- Facilitate referral of care to the patient’s own caregivers, who know the patient and their medical history, as opposed to emergency department staff who typically do not know much about the patient.
- Shorten task times for EMS agencies struggling with workforce shortages, help decompress overcrowded hospitals and emergency departments, and meet patients’ needs without long wait times at the hospital.
Support Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) Community Paramedicine (CP) Programs
Please request U.S. House of Representatives members to support the Community Paramedicine Act (HR 4011), introduced by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and others. This bill would create a grant program under the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) Community Paramedicine (CP) programs. Eligible applicants in rural and underserved communities could receive grants to:
- Hire community paramedicine personnel;
- Purchase necessary equipment, including personal protective equipment, uniforms, medical supplies, and vehicles;
- Pay for certification courses; and
- Conduct public outreach and education on the patient-centered outcomes that can be achieved through community paramedicine.
Call to Action
These conversations are happening with or without us. At EMS On The Hill Day, learn how advocacy drives legislative wins for EMS and how to advocate at the federal, state, and local levels. NAEMT schedules meetings with senators and representatives, provides briefing materials, and connects EMS clinicians from across the country with each other. When EMS professionals show up together, policymakers listen. Share what you know:
- What’s happening on the ground
- What’s working
- What needs to change
If you can’t attend Hill Day, you can still support TIP and MIH by sending an easy to use online request to your Senate and House lawmakers: click here for more.
These aren’t abstract policy debates. These are the challenges you face every day, on every shift. Participate and share your story. When you reach out to members of Congress, you’re representing yourself and speaking for fellow clinicians across the country—and the patients who depend on EMS.