Ambulance operating deficit grant program established, account established, and reports required.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Roger Skraba and 1 co-sponsor

Creates a Minnesota Ambulance Operating Deficit Grant Program and a dedicated account to reimburse EMS providers' operating losses, sustaining 911 response.

Author added Skraba

#emergencyand911services #healthandhealthdepartment

Summary of HF 337 — Ambulance Operating Deficit Grant Program Established, Account Established, and Reports Required

Overview

HF 337 is a Minnesota House file introduced on February 12, 2025, intended to create a state-supported mechanism to assist ambulance providers with operating deficits. The bill would establish a dedicated grant program and a corresponding account, along with reporting requirements to governmental bodies. The primary sponsor is Bradley, with subsequent actions showing author and sponsor changes. The companion bill in the Senate is SF 1080.

Purpose and Intent

Provide financial support to ambulance services to help cover ongoing operating deficits, supporting the sustainability of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and 911 response capabilities across Minnesota.

Ensure transparency and oversight through mandated reporting to the Legislature.

Key Provisions (as inferred from the bill’s title; text not provided)

Establishment of an Ambulance Operating Deficit Grant Program to reimburse or offset operating losses incurred by ambulance providers.

Creation of a dedicated funding account (grant account) to hold and disburse funds for the program.

Implementation of reporting requirements to track program utilization, performance, and fiscal impact. This typically includes annual or periodic reports to lawmakers and relevant committees.

Eligibility and grant criteria: Specific qualifications, application processes, caps, and prioritization would be defined in the bill’s full text; the provided material does not include those details.

Affected Parties

Ambulance service providers and EMS agencies operating within Minnesota.

Local governments (counties or cities) that contract with or oversee ambulance services.

Public health and emergency services stakeholders who monitor EMS capacity and 911 responsiveness.

Fiscal and Administrative Considerations

Creation of a new grant program implies a funding source and annual appropriation process; the bill would specify appropriations, grant amounts, and distribution methodology.

The account and reporting requirements imply ongoing administrative oversight, audits, and performance metrics.

Procedural History and Timeline

Introduced: February 12, 2025.

First Reading/Referral: February 13, 2025, to Health and Human Services (as listed in the actions).

Sponsor actions: Original author listed as Bradley; author added Skraba on March 11, 2025; sponsor updated to Young on February 26, 2025.

Related legislation: Companion bill SF 1080 (Senate).

Notes and Clarifications

The version content provided with HF 337 in this brief appears to discuss Medicaid dental reimbursement alignment with Hawki, which is unrelated to ambulance operating deficits. This excerpt may be mismatched. Readers should consult the official bill text for precise provisions, eligibility criteria, funding levels, and reporting formats.

Next Steps

Review the full bill text to confirm eligibility, funding sources, grant formulas, reporting schedules, and oversight structure.

Track committee hearings and amendments in Health Finance and Policy (House) and any related hearings in the Senate for SF 1080.

If you’d like, I can pull in the official bill language and extract a more detailed provisions-by-provision summary.