Advocacy in Action: EMS Day on the Hill 2026

On March 26, 2026, more than 350 EMS leaders, advocates, and supporters gathered in Washington, DC for EMS on the Hill Day, an annual advocacy event. Members of the Digitech team accompanied agency representatives, spending the day meeting with Senators and House Representatives to garner support for current legislative bills that impact our industry.  

Together, we brought a unified message to Capitol Hill, advocating a slate of legislative priorities designed to modernize care delivery, strengthen the workforce, and ensure the long-term sustainability of emergency medical services. Among the top priorities this year were legislative bills focused on Treatment in Place (TIP), Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) and Community Paramedicine (CP) programs, as well as rural EMS agencies.  

Here are a few highlights of the legislative priorities: 

Treatment In Place and Mobile Integrated Health 

At the forefront of proposed legislation is the Comprehensive Alternative Response for Emergencies (CARE) Act, which would allow EMS providers to be reimbursed for treating patients in place; an important shift toward more flexible, patient-centered care that reduces unnecessary hospital transports while still supporting agency revenue. Despite the demonstrated benefits of such methods, funding remains a roadblock for agencies. One National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) study found that 38% of MIH-CP programs across the country that had ceased operations over a three-year period attributed their closure to funding, staffing, or resource shortages. In addition to the CARE Act, however, the complementary Community Paramedicine Act would expand Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) programs through federal grants, enabling EMS agencies to play a larger role in preventive and community-based care, particularly in underserved areas. 

Rural EMS Support 

Sustainable funding remains a critical concern for rural providers, particularly in the face of rising costs and increasing hospital closures. According to the National Rural Health Association, nearly 50% of rural hospitals in the United States are operating with negative margins, leaving them vulnerable to closure. When a rural hospital closes, the surrounding communities lose access to vital care, often leaving EMS agencies to fill the gap. Continued investment through Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs (SIREN) Act grants would deliver essential resources for training, equipment, and operations to agencies that often serve as the only healthcare access point in their communities. 

Prehospital Blood Transfusion 

Another focus was the ability to administer blood in the field; an increasingly vital practice in rural and outlying communities where transport times to the hospital can stretch or that represent logistical challenges. The improved outcomes and real-life examples of such practices are clear. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), severe bleeding is the primary cause of preventable fatalities in trauma patients, but with the prompt delivery of prehospital blood, it’s estimated that 37% of trauma patients with severe bleeding could be saved; and that for every minute of delay in administering blood, the risk of death increases by 11%. Yet despite the documented benefits of administering blood in the field, the EMS reimbursement structure hasn’t been updated. The proposed Reimbursing Emergency Services for Critical Use of Emergency Blood (RESCUE) Act addresses this financial gap by ensuring EMS agencies are reimbursed for administering blood in the field, helping expand access to lifesaving prehospital interventions. 

National Recognition and Support 

Finally, EMS leaders emphasized the importance of recognition and advocacy at the national level, first with the Honor Our Emergency Medical Services bill which seeks funds and backing to establish a National EMS Memorial. Similar to our national fire and police memorials, the new memorial would honor those EMS personnel who have died in the line of duty. Continued support for the Congressional EMS Caucus was also emphasized, ensuring these and other industry priorities have a strong, bipartisan voice in Washington to help promote, educate, and increase awareness among decision-makers on the federal EMS policy. 

Together, the initiatives at the center of EMS Day on the Hill 2026 reflected a comprehensive approach to advancing EMS, addressing some of our industry’s key challenges, and laying the groundwork for a more resilient, responsive system of care.