The Michigan Association of Ambulance Services says emergency services to eastern Upper Peninsula prisons could soon become unavailable for unpaid bills by an MDOC health provider. On Thursday the Michigan Association of Ambulance Services announced delinquent payments adding up to 500,000 dollars that were supposed to have been paid by Wellpath to EMS agencies may impact the availability of emergency response in some local communities. EMS providers working with Michigan prisons that provided emergency services to inmates in partnership with Wellpath, were not paid after the health provider’s contract with the state of Michigan ended in April.
MAAS said in its statement it warned state leaders of the unpaid payments during the summer, calling on the state for reimbursement. With the association yet to see action by state leaders MAAS adds the 500,000 dollars of unpaid payments have caused a 6 million dollar deficit for EMS agencies in the eastern Upper Peninsula.
Kinross EMS, services a 640 square miles range and employs 39 first responders. The agency provides services to three prisons located in the region. Missed payments owed to Kinross accounts for 11 percent of the agency’s annual budget.
The Michigan Association of Ambulance Services again calls on state leaders to take action before emergency services become compromised by the unpaid money agencies are owed. Wellpath is one of the largest for-profit healthcare providers for prisons in the United States. According to a report by Bloomberg, the provider has begun steps in preparation for bankruptcy. In October Oregon Public Broadcasting reported the company was found guilty by a federal judge of destroying evidence to prevent its use in trial, connected to in-custody deaths.
Those interested in reading the Michigan Association of Ambulance Services statement regarding 500,000 dollars in missed payments to local EMS agencies for services provided to eastern upper peninsula prison inmates can find the full statement here.
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