On Tuesday, Governor Evers signed two bills that boost the struggling Wisconsin Emergency Medical Services (EMS) sector and their professionals. 

According to the Governor’s office, the bill reduces financial barriers in place for individuals seeking training, licensure, and a career in EMS. The bills also reduce the financial burden for local governments and EMS providers by increasing the Medicaid reimbursement rate for calls when a patient is not transported to a care facility.

“EMS professionals play an essential role in the safety and security of our families, our communities, and our state. I’m glad to be signing these bipartisan bills that will help get more folks into this critical profession by reducing financial burdens for the training and education they need, while making sure providers can continue to provide life-saving care by ensuring they are getting reimbursed fairly for the care they provide,” said Governor Evers.

Senate Bill 182, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 35:

• Requires the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Board to award grants to each technical college that provides an EMS program that trains and prepares individuals for initial certification or licensure as an emergency medical responder or an EMS practitioner;  
• Requires the WTCS Board to develop and provide district boards with a standard template for a contract for access expansion services; 
• Requires the Higher Educational Aids Board to develop a reimbursement program for individuals or employers for tuition and materials relating to completing an EMS program at a Wisconsin technical college for initial certification or licensure as an emergency medical responder or an EMS practitioner; and 
• Authorizes the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs to develop a live 911 pilot program to distribute funding through a grant program to enable real-time video and multimedia communications between public safety professionals and those who call emergency services. 

Senate Bill 183, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 36:

• Directs the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to increase the current maximum reimbursement allowed under the Medicaid program for ambulance response and treatment without transport to $175; 
• Requires the Emergency Medical Services Board, in consultation with DHS and the WTCS Board to annually submit a report to the Legislature on state and national changes to the scope of practice of certain EMS professionals and how those scope-of-practice changes may affect training in the state; and 
• Reduces the financial burden for local governments by excluding levy limit adjustments related to joint fire and EMS districts from the eligibility calculation for the Expenditure Restraint Program.

Alan DeYoung, the executive director of Wisconsin EMS Association, spoke with Wisconsin Public Radio about the EMS shortages. DeYoung mentioned that he knows some EMS workers who work “3-4 other jobs” and working at their respective EMS “may not even be their full time job.” 

In reference to Act 35-36, “I think it’s a great step in the right direction because I think most of the public doesn’t realize that if EMS doesn’t transport you, they receive no reimbursement at all,” said DeYoung.

This lack of EMS services has not been without blame as well. In the city of Milwaukee, Firefighters will provide lifesaving services as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). The fire department which includes firefighters, paramedics, and rescue units, have faced aging equipment and budget cuts for over the past decade. (RELATED: The Milwaukee Hop Comes Under Fire After Accident Shuts It Down)

Of the city of Milwaukee proposed 2026 $2 billion budget, Mayor Cavalier Johnson only gave the fire department $2 million for repairs to the fire fleet. About $10 million short of Chief Lipski’s request for maintenance. This lack of funding has also caused the shutting down of multiple firehouses, including in 2023, when the city of Milwaukee considered cutting four paramedic units. The fire department ended up not being cut due to Act 12 funds and more taxes levied by Mayor Johnson on the city.