PRINTER'S NO. 1593

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 1377 Session of 1995


        INTRODUCED BY DALEY, VAN HORNE, STISH, BELARDI AND E. Z. TAYLOR,
           APRIL 19, 1995

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
           APRIL 19, 1995

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), entitled "An
     2     act relating to the prevention and reduction of premature
     3     death and disability in this Commonwealth; providing for
     4     assistance, coordination and support of the development and
     5     maintenance of a comprehensive emergency medical services
     6     system and for qualifications, eligibility and certification
     7     of emergency medical services personnel and licensing
     8     ambulance services; imposing powers and duties on the
     9     Department of Health; and making repeals," further providing
    10     for minimum standards for ambulance service.

    11     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    12  hereby enacts as follows:
    13     Section 1.  Section 12(o) of the act of July 3, 1985
    14  (P.L.164, No.45), known as the Emergency Medical Services Act,
    15  is amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to
    16  read:
    17  Section 12.  Minimum standards for ambulance service.
    18     * * *
    19     (g.1)  Service area.--
    20         (1)  Every advertisement of an ambulance service shall
    21     indicate the geographic area in which the service operates.


     1         (2)  (i)  If an ambulance service receives a written
     2         application for service from a person who lives outside
     3         the geographic operating area of the ambulance service,
     4         the application and any payment shall be returned to the
     5         applicant within ten days with a written explanation.
     6             (ii)  If an ambulance service receives a telephone
     7         application for service from a person who lives outside
     8         the operating area of the ambulance service, the
     9         applicant shall be advised that the application cannot be
    10         accepted because of the geographic operating limits of
    11         the ambulance service.
    12     * * *
    13     (o)  Violation.--
    14         (1)  [Upon] Except as provided in paragraph (2)(i), upon
    15     determining that a violation of this act or rules and
    16     regulations promulgated thereunder exists, the department
    17     shall issue a written notice to the ambulance service
    18     specifying the violation or violations that have been found.
    19     The notice shall require the ambulance service to take action
    20     or submit a plan of correction to the department that shall
    21     bring the ambulance service into compliance with applicable
    22     law or regulations within a specified period of time. The
    23     plan of correction must be submitted within 30 days of
    24     receipt of the written notice.
    25         (2)  (i)  An ambulance service which accepts an
    26         application for service from a person who lives outside
    27         the ambulance service's operating area in violation of
    28         subsection (g.1) commits a summary offense and shall,
    29         upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of $500 for a
    30         first offense or $1,000 for a second offense. For a third
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     1         offense the ambulance service's license shall be revoked.
     2         [(2)]  (ii)  If, after such reasonable time for
     3         compliance, the department determines that the violation
     4         persists, the department shall afford the holder of the
     5         license an opportunity for an administrative hearing to
     6         be conducted by the department pursuant to Title 2 of the
     7         Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes (relating to
     8         administrative law and procedure). If, after the hearing,
     9         the department rules that the license shall be suspended
    10         or revoked, appeals may be taken as provided by law.
    11     * * *
    12     Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.












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