I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1915 

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 

APRIL 2, 2009 

Ms. DELAURO (for herself and Mr. PLATTS) 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 2009’’. 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
2 

•HR 1915 IH

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 (111 Stat. 452; 42 U.S.C. 1395x 

5 note) is amended to read as follows: 

6 ‘‘(c) PAYMENT FOR PARAMEDIC INTERCEPT SERVICE

7 PROVIDERS.— 

8 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In promulgating regula9 tions to carry out section 1861(s)(7) of the Social 

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

11 the coverage of ambulance services, the Secretary of 

12 Health and Human Services shall include coverage 

13 of advanced life support intercept services (in this 

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

15 ‘‘(2) CONDITIONS OF COVERAGE.—For the pur16 poses of this subsection, ALS intercept services con17 sist of a qualified paramedic providing ALS level 

18 services in connection with the transport of a patient 

19 by an ambulance qualified to provide only a basic 

20 life support level of services if the following condi21 tions are met: 

22 ‘‘(A) The entity providing the ambulance 

23 transportation is a public, non-profit, or volun24 teer organization which— 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
3 

•HR 1915 IH

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

2 ambulance services under title XVIII of 

3 the Social Security Act; and 

4 ‘‘(ii) provides only basic life support 

5 services at the time of the intercept. 

6 ‘‘(B) The paramedic providing such serv7 ices is not employed or compensated by the en8 tity providing the ambulance transportation and 

9 the entity employing or compensating such 

10 paramedic is not related to the entity providing 

11 the ambulance transportation. 

12 ‘‘(C) The ALS intercept services are re13 quested by the entity providing the ambulance 

14 transportation or are dispatched to coordinate 

15 with such entity and such services are medically 

16 necessary based on the medical condition for 

17 which they are dispatched. 

18 ‘‘(D) The entity that is employing or com19 pensating that paramedic— 

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

21 such services under such title; and 

22 ‘‘(ii) bills all individuals (or their in23 surers) who receive ALS intercept services 

24 from the entity, regardless of whether such 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
4 

•HR 1915 IH

1 individuals are beneficiaries under such 

2 title. 

3 ‘‘(E) The paramedic providing the inter4 cept services accompanies and provides an ALS 

5 assessment or ALS intervention to the patient 

6 during the transport.’’. 

7 (b) PAYMENTS NOT COUNTED IN COMPUTING AMBU8 LANCE FEE SCHEDULE AMOUNTS.—The Secretary of 

9 Health and Human Services shall not take into account 

10 any payments made pursuant to the amendment made by 

11 subsection (a) in determining payment amounts under the 

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

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

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

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

16 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to ambulance serv17 ices provided on or after January 1, 2010. 

Æ 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS