Save The New Jersey Paramedic System

[x635 4,066]

Check out this interesting website:

http://www.savetheparamedicsnj.org/

Which is in response to this:

In New Jersey the Monmouth-Ocean Hospital Services Corporation (MONOC), with offices located in Wall Township and Union Township, New Jersey, regretfully announces that the following Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICU) will soon be placed out of service or on a limited operating schedule:

· Marlboro Township - Medic Unit 208, Out of Service

o Affecting Marlboro, Englishtown and Manalapan

· Lacey Township - Medic Unit 215, Out of Service

o Affecting Lacey and Waretown

· Belleville - Medic Unit 256, Out of Service

o Affecting Bellville, Nutley and North Newark

· Kearny - Medic Unit 257, Limited Service (7:00 a.m. - 11:00

p.m.)

o Affecting Kearny, Harrison, Lyndhurst, East Newark and North Arlington

The Office of Emergency Medical Services in the Department of Health and Senior Services (OEMS) has been notified of the decision to cease Advanced Life Saving Service operations in these municipalities.

Vince Robbins, President and CEO of MONOC, explains, "New Jersey is facing an emergency response crisis. Medicare billing regulations and outdated state laws have long strained MICU operations statewide. Over the past few years, MICU operations have sustained heavy financial losses as a result of these regulations and are left with no choice other than to reduce services or begin billing Medicare recipients directly." He continues, "These thirteen towns are only the beginning of what has become a frightening state health crisis unless the government makes immediate changes to our current system."

MONOC is the largest provider of emergency medical services in New Jersey with more than 800 employees serving 17 hospitals and over 100 municipalities.

[WAS967 97]

I didn't know MONOC came as far north as Nutley and Newark. Geez. I feel bad for all the people who will be out of work and the patients that will go without ALS care. Think the towns will step in and help out? I doubt it.

[CPAGE 2]

This is all part of when MONOC got jammed up with the way they did billing some time back so now UMDNJ will grow again back in to the area's MONOC under bid.

Chris

[MICP2823 0]

The issue with UMDNJ expanding is the fact that Booker has them under a microscope right now. And the State has them strung so tight with the recent scandles steming from missing money.

I do not see towns steping in and helping us keep our jobs, I also do not see Newark adding any extra units to the area. Politicans do not see the need to put their necks out for something they Might need.

The two northern trucks that are affected, covering Bellville, Nutley and North Newark, Kearny, Harrison, Lyndhurst, East Newark and North Arlington have so much competition to their East, West, and South. UMDNJ, JCMC, Atlantic, But in NJ the system is odd in such in order for MONOC to be replaced as the MICU provider there are many and tough situations that must be met. A company like Trans Care can't just walk in and offer the towns ALS, at least not that I know of.

[RWC130 594]

Very sad day for the NJ Communities and the Paramedics.

I hope Advanced Life Support is restored.

How did "the system" fall apart?

[x635 4,066]

As far as I'm aware, ALS MUST be provided by a hospital in NJ. It's a state law.

A town or fire deparment, or a private provider, cannot.

Unless the law changes.

[trauma74 111]

This is a very sad situation. I really hope that for the sake of all the residents of NJ that something can be worked out.

[Guest WolfEMT]

Check out this interesting website:

http://www.savetheparamedicsnj.org/

Which is in response to this:

QUOTE

In New Jersey the Monmouth-Ocean Hospital Services Corporation (MONOC), with offices located in Wall Township and Union Township, New Jersey, regretfully announces that the following Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICU) will soon be placed out of service or on a limited operating schedule:

· Marlboro Township - Medic Unit 208, Out of Service

o Affecting Marlboro, Englishtown and Manalapan

· Lacey Township - Medic Unit 215, Out of Service

o Affecting Lacey and Waretown

· Belleville - Medic Unit 256, Out of Service

o Affecting Bellville, Nutley and North Newark

· Kearny - Medic Unit 257, Limited Service (7:00 a.m. - 11:00

p.m.)

o Affecting Kearny, Harrison, Lyndhurst, East Newark and North Arlington

The Office of Emergency Medical Services in the Department of Health and Senior Services (OEMS) has been notified of the decision to cease Advanced Life Saving Service operations in these municipalities.

Vince Robbins, President and CEO of MONOC, explains, "New Jersey is facing an emergency response crisis. Medicare billing regulations and outdated state laws have long strained MICU operations statewide. Over the past few years, MICU operations have sustained heavy financial losses as a result of these regulations and are left with no choice other than to reduce services or begin billing Medicare recipients directly." He continues, "These thirteen towns are only the beginning of what has become a frightening state health crisis unless the government makes immediate changes to our current system."

MONOC is the largest provider of emergency medical services in New Jersey with more than 800 employees serving 17 hospitals and over 100 municipalities.

Just to clarify:

MICU 208 is a M-F 0800-1800 operation. Although they will be placed out of service, it will not totally affect the areas of Manalapan Twp, Marlboro Twp, or Englishtown Boro since 24/7 Medic services are provided by MICU 204, which is based out of Freehold.

As far as the so-called "Emergency Response Crisis," Mr. Robbins is, in plain English, full of crap. He has a monopoly on MICU services in Atlantic, Ocean, Monmouth, and Essex Counties to name a few. Patients are charged $1500 just to say hello to MonOc medics, with most ALS assessments running anywhere from $2000 to $2500. Mr. Robbins runs a non-for-profit organization that is the subject of a NJ State Senate probe regarding its patient charges, and if he were really hurting as badly as he says he is, then he wouldn't have gone out and purchased a brand new helicopter the way he did last year.

[vodoly 535]

I have Noticed that alot of the area hospital's in Bergen County are begining to start up their own EMS dept's ie: Holy Name (witch happens to have the Englewood Cliffs 6 am to 6 pm week day contract I think they also cover New Milford ) Hackensack also has bought 2 BLS "buse's" Englewood Hospital & Medical Center (my employer ) has bought 1 "Bus" so far and is in process of buying 1 more The unit they have now will be an inter hospital transport I believe they will be looking for towns to cover via bid in the next year Englewood happens to run 1 24/7 ALS unit (201) and one from i believe 10am to 11pm (202)