Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 441 (2022GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Johnson, D.N.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/24/2022

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• authorizes the creation of community paramedicine programs; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

COMMUNITY PARAMEDICINE AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Dan N. Johnson
Senate Sponsor: 
Curtis S. Bramble
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill authorizes the creation of community paramedicine programs.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms; 
▸ authorizes the creation of community paramedicine programs; and 
▸ makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
26-8a-102
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2021, Chapters 208, 237, and 265
ENACTS:
26-8a-212
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
26-8a-102
 is amended to read:
26-8a-102.
Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(1) (a) "911 ambulance or paramedic services" means:
(i) either:
(A) 911 ambulance service;
(B) 911 paramedic service; or
(C) both 911 ambulance and paramedic service; and
(ii) a response to a 911 call received by a designated dispatch center that receives 911
or E911 calls.
(b) "911 ambulance or paramedic services" does not mean a seven or ten digit
telephone call received directly by an ambulance provider licensed under this chapter.
(2) "Ambulance" means a ground, air, or water vehicle that:
(a) transports patients and is used to provide emergency medical services; and
(b) is required to obtain a permit under Section 
26-8a-304
 to operate in the state.
(3) "Ambulance provider" means an emergency medical service provider that:
(a) transports and provides emergency medical care to patients; and
(b) is required to obtain a license under Part 4, Ambulance and Paramedic Providers.
(4) (a) "Behavioral emergency services" means delivering a behavioral health
intervention to a patient in an emergency context within a scope and in accordance with
guidelines established by the department.
(b) "Behavioral emergency services" does not include engaging in the:
(i) practice of mental health therapy as defined in Section 
58-60-102
;
(ii) practice of psychology as defined in Section 
58-61-102
;
(iii) practice of clinical social work as defined in Section 
58-60-202
;
(iv) practice of certified social work as defined in Section 
58-60-202
;
(v) practice of marriage and family therapy as defined in Section 
58-60-302
; or
(vi) practice of clinical mental health counseling as defined in Section 
58-60-402
; and
(vii) practice as a substance use disorder counselor as defined in Section 
58-60-502
.
(5) "Committee" means the State Emergency Medical Services Committee created by
Section 
26-1-7
.
(6) "Community paramedicine" means medical care:
(a) provided by emergency medical service personnel; and
(b) provided to a patient who is not:
(i) in need of ambulance transportation; or
(ii) located in a health care facility as defined in Section 
26-21-2
.
[
(6)
] 
(7)
 "Direct medical observation" means in-person observation of a patient by a
physician, registered nurse, physician's assistant, or individual licensed under Section
26-8a-302
.
[
(7)
] 
(8)
 "Emergency medical condition" means:
(a) a medical condition that manifests itself by symptoms of sufficient severity,
including severe pain, that a prudent layperson, who possesses an average knowledge of health
and medicine, could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in:
(i) placing the individual's health in serious jeopardy;
(ii) serious impairment to bodily functions; or
(iii) serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part; or
(b) a medical condition that in the opinion of a physician or the physician's designee
requires direct medical observation during transport or may require the intervention of an
individual licensed under Section 
26-8a-302
 during transport.
[
(8)
] 
(9)
 (a) "Emergency medical service personnel" means an individual who provides
emergency medical services or behavioral emergency services to a patient and is required to be
licensed or certified under Section 
26-8a-302
.
(b) "Emergency medical service personnel" includes a paramedic, medical director of a
licensed emergency medical service provider, emergency medical service instructor, behavioral
emergency services technician, other categories established by the committee, and a certified
emergency medical dispatcher.
[
(9)
] 
(10)
 "Emergency medical service providers" means:
(a) licensed ambulance providers and paramedic providers;
(b) a facility or provider that is required to be designated under Subsection
26-8a-303
(1)(a); and
(c) emergency medical service personnel.
[
(10)
] 
(11)
 "Emergency medical services" means:
(a) medical services;
(b) transportation services;
(c) behavioral emergency services; or
(d) any combination of the services described in Subsections [
(10)
] 
(11)
(a) through (c).
[
(11)
] 
(12)
 "Emergency medical service vehicle" means a land, air, or water vehicle
that is:
(a) maintained and used for the transportation of emergency medical personnel,
equipment, and supplies to the scene of a medical emergency; and
(b) required to be permitted under Section 
26-8a-304
.
[
(12)
] 
(13)
 "Governing body":
(a) means the same as that term is defined in Section 
11-42-102
; and
(b) for purposes of a "special service district" under Section 
11-42-102
, means a
special service district that has been delegated the authority to select a provider under this
chapter by the special service district's legislative body or administrative control board.
[
(13)
] 
(14)
 "Interested party" means:
(a) a licensed or designated emergency medical services provider that provides
emergency medical services within or in an area that abuts an exclusive geographic service area
that is the subject of an application submitted pursuant to Part 4, Ambulance and Paramedic
Providers;
(b) any municipality, county, or fire district that lies within or abuts a geographic
service area that is the subject of an application submitted pursuant to Part 4, Ambulance and
Paramedic Providers; or
(c) the department when acting in the interest of the public.
[
(14)
] 
(15)
 "Medical control" means a person who provides medical supervision to an
emergency medical service provider.
[
(15)
] 
(16)
 "Non-911 service" means transport of a patient that is not 911 transport
under Subsection (1).
[
(16)
] 
(17)
 "Nonemergency secured behavioral health transport" means an entity that:
(a) provides nonemergency secure transportation services for an individual who:
(i) is not required to be transported by an ambulance under Section 
26-8a-305
; and
(ii) requires behavioral health observation during transport between any of the
following facilities:
(A) a licensed acute care hospital;
(B) an emergency patient receiving facility;
(C) a licensed mental health facility; and
(D) the office of a licensed health care provider; and
(b) is required to be designated under Section 
26-8a-303
.
[
(17)
] 
(18)
 "Paramedic provider" means an entity that:
(a) employs emergency medical service personnel; and
(b) is required to obtain a license under Part 4, Ambulance and Paramedic Providers.
[
(18)
] 
(19)
 "Patient" means an individual who, as the result of illness, injury, or a
behavioral emergency condition, meets any of the criteria in Section 
26-8a-305
.
[
(19)
] 
(20)
 "Political subdivision" means:
(a) a city, town, or metro township;
(b) a county;
(c) a special service district created under Title 17D, Chapter 1, Special Service
District Act, for the purpose of providing fire protection services under Subsection
17D-1-201
(9);
(d) a local district created under Title 17B, Limited Purpose Local Government Entities
- Local Districts, for the purpose of providing fire protection, paramedic, and emergency
services;
(e) areas coming together as described in Subsection 
26-8a-405.2
(2)(b)(ii); or
(f) an interlocal entity under Title 11, Chapter 13, Interlocal Cooperation Act.
[
(20)
] 
(21)
 "Trauma" means an injury requiring immediate medical or surgical
intervention.
[
(21)
] 
(22)
 "Trauma system" means a single, statewide system that:
(a) organizes and coordinates the delivery of trauma care within defined geographic
areas from the time of injury through transport and rehabilitative care; and
(b) is inclusive of all prehospital providers, hospitals, and rehabilitative facilities in
delivering care for trauma patients, regardless of severity.
[
(22)
] 
(23)
 "Triage" means the sorting of patients in terms of disposition, destination,
or priority. For prehospital trauma victims, triage requires a determination of injury severity to
assess the appropriate level of care according to established patient care protocols.
[
(23)
] 
(24)
 "Triage, treatment, transportation, and transfer guidelines" means written
procedures that:
(a) direct the care of patients; and
(b) are adopted by the medical staff of an emergency patient receiving facility, trauma
center, or an emergency medical service provider.
Section 2. Section 
26-8a-212
 is enacted to read:
 26-8a-212.
Community paramedicine program.
(1) A ground ambulance provider or a designated quick response provider, as
designated in accordance with Section 
26-8a-303
, may develop and implement a community
paramedicine program.
(2) (a) Before providing services, a community paramedicine program shall:
(i) implement training requirements as determined by the committee; and
(ii) submit a written community paramedicine operational plan to the department that
meets requirements established by the committee.
(b) A community paramedicine program shall report data, as determined by the
committee, related to community paramedicine to the department.
(3) A service provided as part of a community paramedicine program may not be billed
to an individual or a health benefit plan as defined in Section 
31A-1-301
 unless:
(a) the service is provided in partnership with a health care facility as defined in
Section 
26-21-2
; and
(b) the partnering health care facility is the person that bills the individual or health
benefit plan.
(4) Nothing in this section affects any billing authorized under Section 
26-8a-403
.
(5) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
committee shall make rules to implement this section.