Bill 118 HR 1666, also known as the Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, aims to address issues related to Medicare reimbursement rates for ground ambulance services. The bill seeks to ensure that ambulance providers are adequately compensated for the services they provide to Medicare beneficiaries.
One of the key provisions of the bill is the establishment of a cost reporting system for ground ambulance providers. This system would require providers to report their costs to Medicare in order to determine appropriate reimbursement rates. The goal of this provision is to ensure that reimbursement rates accurately reflect the costs of providing ambulance services.
Additionally, the bill includes provisions to address the issue of "underpayment" for ground ambulance services. Under the current system, Medicare reimbursement rates for ambulance services are often lower than the actual costs incurred by providers. The bill seeks to address this issue by adjusting reimbursement rates to more accurately reflect the costs of providing services.
Overall, the Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023 aims to improve the financial stability of ground ambulance providers and ensure that Medicare beneficiaries have access to high-quality ambulance services. The bill has received bipartisan support in Congress and is currently under consideration in committee.