I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2008

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for expanded 

coverage of paramedic intercept services under the Medicare Program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 7, 2003

Ms. DELAURO (for herself, Mr. PLATTS, and Ms. SLAUGHTER) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide 

for expanded coverage of paramedic intercept services 

under the Medicare Program.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Medicare Paramedic 

5 Intercept Services Coverage Act of 2003’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. EXPANDED COVERAGE OF PARAMEDIC INTERCEPT 

2 SERVICES UNDER THE MEDICARE PROGRAM. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4531(c) of the Balanced 

4 Budget Act of 1997 is amended to read as follows: 

5 ‘‘(c) PAYMENT FOR PARAMEDIC INTERCEPT SERVICE

6 PROVIDERS.—

7 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In promulgating regula8 tions to carry out section 1861(s)(7) of the Social 

9 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(7)) with respect to 

10 the coverage of ambulance services, the Secretary of 

11 Health and Human Services shall include coverage 

12 of advanced life support intercept services (in this 

13 subsection referred to as ‘ALS intercept services’). 

14 ‘‘(2) CONDITIONS OF COVERAGE.—For the pur15 poses of this subsection, ALS intercept services con16 sist of a qualified paramedic providing ALS level 

17 services in connection with the transport of a patient 

18 by an ambulance qualified to provide only a basic 

19 life support level of services if the following condi20 tions are met: 

21 ‘‘(A) The entity providing the ambulance 

22 transportation is a public, non-profit, or volun23 teer organization which—

24 ‘‘(i) is certified as qualified to provide 

25 ambulance services under title XVIII of 

26 the Social Security Act; and 
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1 ‘‘(ii) provides only basic life support 

2 services at the time of the intercept. 

3 ‘‘(B) The paramedic providing such serv4 ices is not employed or compensated by the en5 tity providing the ambulance transportation and 

6 the entity employing or compensating such 

7 paramedic is not related to the entity providing 

8 the ambulance transportation. 

9 ‘‘(C) The ALS intercept services are re10 quested by the entity providing the ambulance 

11 transportation or are dispatched to coordinate 

12 with such entity and such services are medically 

13 necessary based on the medical condition for 

14 which they are dispatched. 

15 ‘‘(D) The entity that is employing or com16 pensating that paramedic—

17 ‘‘(i) is certified as qualified to provide 

18 such services under such title; and 

19 ‘‘(ii) bills all individuals (or their in20 surers) who receive ALS intercept services 

21 from the entity, regardless of whether such 

22 individuals are beneficiaries under such 

23 title. 

24 ‘‘(E) The paramedic providing the inter25 cept services accompanies and provides an ALS 
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1 assessment or ALS intervention to the patient 

2 during the transport.’’. 

3 (b) PAYMENTS NOT COUNTED IN COMPUTING AMBU4 LANCE FEE SCHEDULE AMOUNTS.—The Secretary of 

5 Health and Human Services shall not take into account 

6 any payments made pursuant to the amendment made by 

7 subsection (a) in determining payment amounts under the 

8 ambulance fee schedule under section 1834(l) of the Social 

9 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(l)), or the aggregate 

10 amount of payments under such section, for any year. 

11 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

12 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to ambulance serv13 ices provided on or after January 1, 2004.

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