ARRIVES Act

Arkansas Act 1021, known as the ARRIVES Act (Arkansas Revenue Investment in Vital EMS Systems), represents a crucial first step toward strengthening our state’s EMS infrastructure.

This newly enacted framework legislation lays the groundwork for assessing the needs of ambulance providers and establishing a fair and strategic method for distributing funds—particularly in underserved areas. These areas, often described as “healthcare deserts,” rely heavily on EMS to bridge the gap in access to essential medical services.

While the ARRIVES Act doesn’t allocate funding just yet, it sets the mechanism for how future resources can be distributed, ensuring that regions with the greatest service gaps can receive proportionate support.

However, this is just the beginning. The EMS industry is facing an unprecedented convergence of challenges:

- A shrinking and overburdened workforce

- Skyrocketing operational costs

- Inadequate reimbursement from public and private payers

- Increasing reliance on EMS as frontline healthcare in areas lacking clinics or physicians

The Arkansas Ambulance Association is committed to pushing forward. While no general funds have been appropriated to fund ARRIVES yet, the Association will continue to advocate for dedicated investment in EMS to ensure life-saving services remain accessible to every Arkansan—urban or rural.