Tennessee Ambulance Service Association
Monthly Meeting
April 5 2012
TASAÂ Meeting called to order by Brandon Ward @ 1010 in Nashville
Attending – Brandon Ward, Chad Graham, Joyce Noles, Derek Merritt, Ricky Slack,  Lynn Thompson, Shannon Seaton, Dennis Rowe, Keith Douglas, Jackie  Wilkerson, Doug Mcquary, Lis Henley, John Combes, Whitney Miller, Roger  Paul, Donna Tidwell,
March meeting minutes – Motion to approve R. Slack with J. Noles second.
Motion passed
No financial report given due to L. Billingsley being out with surgery. President Ward did give what he had on the financials. Which was $18,916.74. with all of 2012 mid-winter bills paid. Outstanding was 2nd payment to Beth an Washington trip. Motion to approve D. Rowe with C. Graham second.
Motion passed
State report –Donna Tidwell
– Administration bill was in the Governors office should be signed by April 10th
– Air ambulance rule was extended to the same 24 months for all personnel as new hires. Issue was in front of the State board last week.
– Vanderbilt received approval for CCP program, with at least 3 others that had inquired about starting a CCP program an that was moving forward
– Open position at the state office
-Â Donna fielded questions from the group with explanation as to the changes that had been tabled last week by the board. Many questions and debate occurred during this time.
Legislative update – M. Shankle addressed the group.
- HB2383 was moving money that EMS was supposed to be getting. It’s now moving to a different line item so that it was going to nursing homes. TASA an all parties involved where ask to keep pressure on legislature to keep what was promised to EMS from TennCare.
R. Slack (Smith Co.) – commented that we as an organization and EMS companies should get this money that it was promised to EMS.
– HB830 died for lack of motion in the house. This bill was to allow TC enrollees to request a certain provider for transportation.
Discussion about anything to get some money from TC. That EMS was already hurting in part to state cutting funding for transportation an the fuel cost.
- Motion to send letter to Reps, Governor Office, Bureau of TennCare about HB 2383 for President Ward to send letter. Presenting the impact of the bill and its market changes. Motion by J. Combes with second by D. Rowe.
Motion passed
Reimbursement report – “working on itâ€
NAEMT- No report
General information-
-Â Medicare is starting the process to go after services with contracts that are not consistent with what Medicare charges.
- State EMS board openings – County Government opening with the resignation of Larry Griffin.
-Â Certified EMS coder class. Just looks like $30,000 for 30 people begin 3days/8hours. Still in the works and gathering information.
-Â Chad Graham had questions for a Logo (official) logo for TASA. Formation of committee to explore this an work on it for all business dealings for TASA
Chad Graham, John Fitzsimmons, Derek Merritt, Keith Douglas were appointed to look at this.
-Â next meeting will be May 3rd, time and place TBA.
-Â June meeting will be full day June 7th starting at 8am. (replacing 2 day workshop)