This bill would change how Medicare pays for air ambulance services. It adds a new rule to the Social Security Act (section 1834(l)). The Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary could revise the Medicare fee schedule for air ambulance services using specific data. That data includes information collected under section 106 of division BB of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).
The bill also requires HHS to collect more data every 3 years from air ambulance providers. Providers must report fixed and operating costs per air ambulance base, how often services are used, revenue received from Medicare for those services, and other information the Secretary asks for. If the Secretary changes payments, the Secretary must consider stakeholder input in a transparent process.
The bill directs HHS to finalize a rule implementing the air ambulance data collection required by the 2021 law within 6 months of the bill becoming law. It also requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report to congressional committees within 1 year after data collection begins. The GAO report must include average operating costs per base, average cost per transport, payer mix, whether Medicare payments are adequate, geographic cost differences, and recommendations to improve the Medicare fee schedule for air ambulance services.
No publicly available information on estimated costs or savings is included in the bill text or metadata.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.