Sponsors (18)
The bill trades improved transparency, data-driven and potentially fairer Medicare air-ambulance payments and better regional planning for increased provider reporting burdens, implementation strain, and risks of service cuts in rural areas or higher costs passed to patients and taxpayers.
Medicare beneficiaries will see more accurate, data-driven air ambulance payments that aim to reduce surprise billing and address underpayment-related access issues.
Air ambulance providers and hospitals will get more predictable, standardized Medicare reimbursements based on submitted cost and revenue data, helping financial planning and contract negotiations.
Providers, beneficiaries, taxpayers, and policymakers will gain greater transparency and stakeholder input into payment-setting, increasing accountability in how air-ambulance payments are set.
Air-ambulance operators, hospitals, and associated staff must collect and submit detailed cost and revenue data every three years, creating ongoing administrative burden and compliance costs.
Rural communities and Medicare patients risk reduced access to air-ambulance services if a revised fee schedule lowers payments and providers cut routes or services.
Patients and taxpayers could face higher out-of-pocket costs, premiums, or Medicare program spending if compliance costs or higher reported costs lead to increased Medicare rates or providers pass costs to patients.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires triennial air-ambulance cost and revenue reporting, authorizes HHS to revise the Medicare fee schedule using that data, sets a six-month rule deadline, and orders a GAO cost and adequacy report.
Introduced July 29, 2025 by Ron Estes · Last progress July 29, 2025
Authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to revise the Medicare fee schedule for air ambulance services using updated cost and utilization data, and requires air ambulance providers to submit triennial cost, utilization, and Medicare revenue data. It directs HHS to finalize a rule implementing the air-ambulance data collection requirements from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 within six months, and requires a GAO report within one year after data collection begins analyzing costs, payment adequacy, geographic variation, payer mix, and recommendations to improve Medicare payments for air ambulance services. The bill aims to increase data-driven transparency and oversight of Medicare payments for emergency air ambulance services by creating reporting requirements, a timeline for HHS rulemaking, stakeholder consultation for any fee changes, and an independent GAO analysis to inform improvements to the Medicare fee schedule.