If you're unable to attend EMS on the Hill Day this year, here is a great way to easily participate from your home or office and have your voice heard!

Please write your Members of Congress to request their support in passing our three EMS on the Hill Day legislative issues:

• The Medicare Ambulance Access Preservation Act of 2011 (S. 424, H.R. 1005) - This legislation would provide extended Medicare reimbursement relief for ambulance services consistent with the 1997 GAO report that determined that they are paid significantly below cost. It would provide a 6 percent increase for ambulance transports originating in urban or rural areas and add a bonus payment for transports originating in super rural areas.
  
  
• The Dale Long Emergency Medical Service Providers Protection Act (S. 385) - This bill would extend the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program - which currently only applies to those employed by a federal, state or local government entity - to EMS professionals employed by private, non-profit EMS agencies. In the House, please support efforts to include the language of S. 385 in the conference report for the FAA Reauthorization bill. The language is already included in the Senate version (S. 223) of the FAA bill.
  
  
• The Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act of 2011 (S. 28, H.R. 607) sponsored by Senator Rockefeller (D-WV) for allocation of D-Block spectrum for public safety and funding of the build-out of a nationwide public safety broadband network around the D Block and adjacent bandwidth already licensed by public safety. HR 607 is a similar House bill and should be supported.

Please go to NAEMT's Capwiz online advocacy service to send letters urging your Senators and House Representatives to co-sponsor these bills. It takes only minutes - all you need to do is enter your ZIP code and Capwiz determines your congressional representatives and provides you with a draft letter. It will then e-mail or fax it for you.

It couldn't be easier to advocate on behalf of EMS. Contact your Congressional representatives today. Every letter counts!