HB269 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris SellsRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Emergency Medical Services Personnel, community paramedicine program authorized, State Board of Health to adopt rules, Sec. 22-18-10 added; Sec. 22-18-1 am'd.

Summary

HB269 would allow the State Board of Health to create a community paramedicine program that lets licensed paramedics provide certain non-emergency services to specified patients, under board rules.

What This Bill Does

The bill lets the State Board of Health establish and run a community paramedicine program. It defines who can be a community paramedic and what services they may provide, with licensure and training requirements. It sets eligible patients (e.g., post-discharge individuals or those identified to reduce readmission) and lists allowed services (coordination, chronic disease monitoring and education, health assessment, discharge follow-up, lab collection, medication adherence, continuation of care, and integrated care under physician oversight). Paramedics must document services and share records with the treating physician, and they are not allowed to diagnose or prescribe drugs. The Board must adopt implementing rules, including how long after discharge a patient can receive CP services.

Who It Affects

• Paramedics and EMS personnel who would participate as community paramedics, including licensing/training requirements and documentation duties
• Patients eligible to receive community paramedic services, such as those recently discharged or identified to prevent readmission, and their treating physicians

Key Provisions

• The Board of Health may establish and administer a community paramedicine program to authorize paramedics to provide community paramedic services
• Definitions are updated to include a Community Paramedic and a Community Paramedicine Program, expanding roles within EMS
• Eligibility criteria for patients to receive CP services include post-discharge status, physician referral indicating likely prevention of admission/readmission, or referral for preventive services
• Allowed CP services include coordination of community services, chronic disease monitoring/education, health assessment, hospital discharge follow-up, laboratory specimen collection, medication compliance, continuation of care within a medical facility, and integrated medical care with physician oversight
• Community paramedics must document the services provided and share documentation with the attending/treating physician as required by board rules
• CPs are not permitted to diagnose conditions or prescribe medications
• The Board must adopt rules to implement the section, including how long after discharge a patient remains eligible for CP services
• Section 1 modifies EMS definitions; Section 22-18-10 creates the Community Paramedicine Program and its scope
• Effective date: the act becomes law on the first day of the third month following passage and governor approval

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Emergency Medical Services