Hidalgo County EMS provides air and ground ambulance services to rural Hidalgo County, the city of Pharr, the city of Edinburg, the city of Peñitas and Sullivan City. It also provides backup EMS to the city of Mission, where Med-Care EMS is the primary ambulance service provider.

According to bankruptcy court records, Hidalgo County EMS owed around $907,000 to its top 20 unsecured creditors. Paul Vazaldua, the company’s Vice-President of Organisational Leadership and Government Affairs, noted that several factors led to the company filing for bankruptcy, including a lack of subsidies from local governments, decreased reimbursement rates from the federal government, and the inability to pull funds from Hidalgo County’s indigent healthcare fund.

Still, Vazaldua asserted that Hidalgo County EMS is continuing to fulfil its contractual obligations, providing transfer services via fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy allows enables a ‘stay’ to take effect, which has been put in place by the federal government and, as such, ensures that Hidalgo County EMS’ contracts cannot be taken away unless the company fails to meet its contractual obligations. Vazaldua has ensured the press that it is.

“We have dedicated individuals that are trained to save lives and that is the job that we will continue to do for this community,” concluded Vazaldua.