ASSOCIATION STATEMENT ON SERVICE CLOSING
EXETER HOSPITAL PARAMEDICS
posted:  09/10/24

The NH Ambulance Association regrets the decision of Exeter Hospital to abruptly cease operations of one of our members, the Exeter Hospital Paramedics. Exeter Hospital Paramedics have been serving the surrounding communities of Exeter, New Hampshire since 1992. Exeter Hospital Paramedics have responded to assist communities surrounding Exeter when advanced life support (ALS) critical care is needed for over 30 years. There have been countless stories of lives saved and this decision will leave a void in the level of pre-hospital ALS level care available in the area.

New Hampshire’s EMS services remain in crisis mode. From both a staffing and fair reimbursement standpoint. The decision of Exeter Hospital to discontinue this service is unfortunately not surprising. This closure will add to other recent NH ambulance service closures further depleting the supply of emergency medical services in our state. It will result in longer response times, longer wait times to transfer patients and put additional pressure on local community EMS providers. Bills were introduced this past legislative session to address the below cost reimbursement that NH commercial insurance providers continue to pay to NH ambulance services. Unfortunately, they were rejected after an army of insurance industry lobbyists successfully fought against them.

The NH Insurance Department is currently conducting a “cost study” to attempt to determine what a fair reimbursement level for ambulance services in NH is. The mission of the New Hampshire Insurance Department is to promote and protect the public good by ensuring the existence of a safe and competitive insurance marketplace. NH health insurance premiums will continue to remain low if insurance carriers continue to be allowed to reimburse at less than cost with a limited provider network. It is imperative that the ‘safe and competitive insurance marketplace’ include a robust and financially sustainable network of healthcare providers who must be fairly reimbursed for the life-saving services that they provide to stay in business.

The NH Ambulance Association will continue to advocate for fair reimbursement from federal, state, and commercial insurance carriers. NH’s EMS providers cannot continue to provide high quality pre-hospital care available to those in need without being fairly reimbursed.


Statement on Exeter Hospital’s Advanced Life Support Program | New Hampshire Department of Justice (nh.gov)

Statement on Exeter Hospital’s Advanced Life Support Program

Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella releases the following statement on Exeter Hospital’s Advanced Life Support Program:

“The Attorney General’s Office learned this week that Exeter Hospital would be discontinuing its Advanced Life Support (ALS) Program within 10 days.

The ALS Program currently provides a critical life-saving resource in which Exeter Hospital deploys paramedics in a specialized “Intercept” vehicle with medical equipment to neighboring communities where advanced medical care is required to protect human life. Exeter Hospital provides this service under contracts with nearby towns and cities.

As a healthcare charitable trust, Exeter Hospital must operate in a manner that protects the public. Exeter Hospital’s announcement that it would be discontinuing the ALS Program within 10 days provided wholly insufficient notice to the communities that rely upon it.

Representatives from my office met with management from Exeter Hospital and Beth Israel Lahey Health last night to relay our significant public safety and health concerns.

Today, our office received assurances from Exeter Hospital that it will continue its ALS Program through at least December 20, 2024. In the meantime, Exeter Hospital will engage in a collaborative effort with state and local officials to discuss the concerns raised this week.”