“We’re doing the best we can to curtail our costs, watch every penny,” said Lon Fricano the TLC Emergency Medical Services and Auburn Ambulance operations director. “But if it keeps going like this, there could come a day where ambulance services go, unless someone gives us gas money, we’re not going to be able to function here.”

About 130 TLC EMS field personnel are responding to 20,000 calls a year, covering Auburn as well as Cortland and Onondaga Counties. But with the COVID-19 crisis, the Fricano says they have more responsibilities and expenses.

“You’re increasing exponentially our supply cost which there’s no reimbursement for,” said Fricano. “You’re reducing our revenues because ambulance revenues are generally speaking only reimbursed when you transport a patient. And what we’re doing now in NYS, we’re encouraging people to treat in place…don’t overload the system.”

Fricano says now they’re feeling even more of a financial burden from the pandemic.

“There was some federal money that came down for ambulance companies but it was only $350 million for the whole country,” said Fricano. “Whereas nursing homes and hospitals are getting $7 or $8, $11 billion.”

Fricano says this isn’t new. He’s been involved with EMS since 1963, and funding has always been an issue.

“Eighty-four percent of what we bill is Medicare and Medicaid,” said Fricano. “They both reimburse us at less than the cost of providing the service. NYS did a study and they came to the conclusion they’re under reimbursing ambulance providers through Medicaid $31 million dollars a year.”

Fricano says the federal government is always doing its own cost study, but it has been delayed because of COVID-19.

Either way, Fricano says they still haven’t received that aid, but he remains hopeful.A spokesperson from the State's Division of Budget says they understand the need, but are facing a $63 billion revenue loss over four years.

They're also calling on the federal government to provide promised funding.