AARP Hearing Center
Most Wyoming adults have heard at least something about emergency medical services (EMS) in the state, with nearly four in 10 (38%) having heard a great deal and one-third (33%) having heard something.
Even though four in 10 (39%) Wyoming adults say they would need to spend more than 30 minutes to get to a doctor’s office for specialty care, two-thirds (66%) report that they are not very or not at all concerned about their ability to access emergency medical services if needed. However, concern about their ability to access emergency medical services increases when health care providers are further away.
More than half (54%) of Wyoming adults believe that insurance companies should pay for emergency medical services in the state, while about one-third (35%) believe the services should be covered through property taxes. Three in ten (30%) believe that EMS should be paid for by the individual who accesses the service, but twelve percent believe they should be paid for some other way and 8% of Wyomingites are unsure.
More than eight in 10 (83%) Wyoming adults are willing to pay more for a community EMS system, with nearly three in 10 (28%) saying they would be willing to pay $50 or more per year. In contrast, nearly one-fifth (17%) say they are not willing to pay more for their community EMS system.
Methodology
The findings are based on a survey conducted by phone (landline and cell) in June 2024 to explore the views of Wyoming adults 18 and older related to emergency medical services in the state. The sample of 1,003 Wyoming adults 18 and older was based on data that were weighted by gender, age, and gender in age (by response) to reflect Wyoming residents 18 and older based on the statewide population from the sample source.
This survey, "Awareness and Use of Emergency Medical Services in Wyoming," was conducted by American Directions Research Group (ADRG). The survey interviews averaged 12 minutes in length. The interviews were conducted in English June 17–30, 2024.
For more information, please contact Teresa A. Keenan at tkeenan@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.
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