Legislation would preserve, update emergency care grant system

Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) introduced bipartisan legislation on Wednesday that would reauthorize grant programs to preserve and modernize critical emergency care systems.

Burgess and Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas) introduced the Trauma Systems Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act. The measure would reauthorize grant mechanisms for trauma care systems planning and regionalization of emergency care systems.

“The assumption that trauma care will always be there when we need it is sadly untrue,” Burgess said. “Forty-two states lack fully developed trauma systems. To let another system atrophy is to let the disparity between areas with access to trauma care and those that don’t increase until entire states lack critical care that will save its residents when the unthinkable happens. We cannot let that happen.”

The measure would support state and rural development of trauma systems and fund pilot projects to design, implement and evaluate innovative models for regionalized emergency care.

“Trauma is the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 45,” Green said. “The even bigger tragedy is that many of these deaths could be prevented if victims had access to trauma care within an hour of a severe traumatic injury.”

The bill would make immediate trauma care available across the country and direct states to update trauma care plans using input from stakeholders one year after its enactment.