Legislature Passes Assemblyman Schaer’s Paramedic Reform Bill

(TRENTON) – The New Jersey General Assembly and Senate have unanimously passed legislation to bring crucial reforms to New Jersey’s paramedic programs. Assembly Bill A-6132, sponsored by Assemblyman Schaer, Assemblyman Greenwald, Assemblyman Conaway, Senator Gopal, and Senator Singer permits volunteer paramedics to operate within mobile intensive care units.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, New Jersey has benefited from an existing world-class medical infrastructure, which has provided unparalleled care to our communities. Ensuring that every resident has access to quality care begins with qualified paramedics that can rapidly respond during emergency situations.

Before the public health crisis began, an estimated 60 million1 Americans lacked essential paramedic services. The pandemic has strained healthcare resources and compounded staffing shortages across the country. Nationally, paramedic programs are experiencing a 20-30% annual turnover rate2, drastically impacting emergency response times. This legislation provides critical support to New Jersey’s existing MICU’s; by incorporating trained volunteer paramedics who will strengthen vital emergency health services.

To guarantee equal access to paramedic services, Assembly Bill A-6132 integrates existing volunteer paramedics, that have been certified by the Commissioner of Health, within mobile intensive care units that are under the direction of an authorized

hospital. As a sub-unit of a MICU, volunteer paramedics will be able to provide Advanced Life Support services, expanding their life-saving capabilities. The legislation mandates that two volunteer paramedics be dispatched but allows the first volunteer paramedic on the scene to cancel the response of a second volunteer paramedic if their services are deemed unnecessary. This codifies a successful measure that was implemented by Governor Murphy to fully utilize our paid paramedics during the pandemic.

This legislation will coordinate paid and volunteer paramedics to meet the needs of New Jersey’s residents as we build a more robust medical infrastructure.

“My colleagues in the New Jersey Legislature unanimously passed these reforms to bring critical support to our overburdened healthcare system. Paramedic staffing shortages lower the quality of care and place residents at increased risk during a health emergency. Through this bill, we have taken a necessary step towards providing comprehensive healthcare improvements and guaranteeing every resident will benefit from expanded paramedic services,” said Schaer (D-Bergen, Passaic).