AMSTERDAM, N.Y. -- "Every time they go on a Medicare run, they lose money," said Senator Charles Schumer.

Schumer is looking to change that. He has introduced the Medicare Ambulance Access Preservation Act. The bill will help boost Medicare reimbursements for ambulance providers in the Capital Region.

“Ambulance service providers were reimbursed six percent below their cost .Let me repeat that. Ambulance service providers were actually reimbursed six percent below their costs. That is incredible," Schumer said.

To help remedy the shortfall, Schumer secured a temporary increase in payments in the recently passed Medicare Bill, but that increase is set to expire at the end of this year. He says the new measure will permanently increase funds by more than $10 million over the next ten years.

Executive director of the Greater Amsterdam Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Thomas Pasquarelli, says they need all the help they can get.

"Our expenses, just like every other business out there, continue to rise and most of our reimbursement rates are set in stone. So we don't get to raise our rates. What Medicare pays us is what we have to accept as payment in full,” Pasquarelli said.

Pasqualli says maintaining and buying medical equipment costs a lot of money. He says on average, a cardiac monitor can cost up to $20,000.

"As you get new equipment, certainly you have to train your staff on that equipment and you want to keep up with technology. If agencies are performing 12 edkg's in the field, you need to buy the equipment that performs that type of task,” Pasquarelli said.

“To have a well trained EMS worker get there quickly with the best equipment is really vital to people and when you have that happen across America, thousands and thousands will live each year,” Schumer said.

Schumer also says passing the bill is essential as the population continues to age and the number of Medicare beneficiaries increases.