TRENTON -- It took only five minutes for the state Assembly Appropriations Committee on Monday to approve a bill that would wrest control of paramedic services in Camden from a south Jersey hospital chain and give it to its competitor, Cooper Health, overseen by south Jersey Democratic power broker George Norcross.



Since its introduction on June 8, the bill has passed three committees, readying it for a final vote by both houses of the legislature by Thursday -- the last scheduled day before summer recess.



Unlike most bills the Assembly Appropriations committee reviews, there was no financial analysis of the legislation's impact. That's because the money attached to the legislation will be included in the state budget Democrats are expected to introduce Tuesday. The budget is expected to include a resolution that gives Cooper $2.5 million to prepare for taking over emergency medical services, as well as $.2.5 million for Newark to handle basic life support ambulance services, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the resolution who said they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.



The bill would require that advanced life support services must be provided by a "level 1" trauma center hospital. The state health department designates one Level 1 trauma center each in north, south and central Jersey because they have most experienced and trained staff and equipment to respond to life-threatening injuries and illness.



Although the bill does not identify hospitals by name, its effect would mean that advanced life support and paramedic services in the city of Camden would no longer handled by Virtua Health, a hospital chain in Voorhees, Marlton and Berlin in suburban Camden County that has provided these services since 1977. Cooper University Hospital, a highly regarded level one trauma center in the city serving south Jersey, would take over. Norcross is chairman of Cooper University Health Care's board of trustees.

Assemblyman Gilbert "Whip" Wilson, (D-Camden), the bill's sponsor, has testified that although Virtua has an unblemished record, Cooper is better equipped to provide these services because their paramedics intend to provide follow-up care after patients are discharged.



Virtua doesn't get paid for providing paramedic service, and it doesn't steer trauma patients to its own hospitals, according to numerous Virtua officials who testified against the bill last week. Most patients are geriatric, and only 7 percent of the patients they treat and transport need trauma care.



Many Virtua EMS officials attended the budget hearing Monday afternoon expecting to testify against the bill, but didn't. Committee Chairman John Burzichelli (D-Burlington) said he would only accept testimony on the one-sentence amendment that says the state health department would have oversight over EMS services created by the bill, as it does over other advanced life support contracts.



Burzichelli said he realized the bill carries "some degree of controversy" but added he appreciated and respected the work they do.



The panel approved the bill 6-2 with one abstention.



