I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2454 

To amend title XVIII to strengthen ambulance services furnished under 

part B of the Medicare program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 12, 2021 

Ms. SEWELL (for herself, Mr. NUNES, Mr. WELCH, and Mr. MULLIN) 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 to strengthen ambulance services 

furnished under part B of 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Serv6 ices Act of 2021’’. 

7 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

8 this Act is as follows: 


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Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

TITLE I—PROTECT ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY AMBULANCE CARE 

Sec. 101. Protecting patient access to ground ambulance services. 

TITLE II—PROTECT ACCESS TO GROUND AMBULANCE SERVICES 

IN RURAL AMERICA 

Sec. 201. Protecting access to ambulance services in rural and low population 

density areas. 

1 TITLE I—PROTECT ACCESS TO 

2 HIGH-QUALITY AMBULANCE 

3 CARE 

4 SEC. 101. PROTECTING PATIENT ACCESS TO GROUND AM5 BULANCE SERVICES. 

6 Section 1834(l) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

7 1395m(l)) is amended— 

8 (1) in paragraph (12)(A), by striking ‘‘2023’’ 

9 and inserting ‘‘2028’’; and 

10 (2) in paragraph (13)(A), by striking ‘‘2023’’ 

11 each place it appears and inserting ‘‘2028’’ in each 

12 such place. 


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1 TITLE II—PROTECT ACCESS TO 

2 GROUND AMBULANCE SERV3 ICES IN RURAL AMERICA 

4 SEC. 201. PROTECTING ACCESS TO AMBULANCE SERVICES 

5 IN RURAL AND LOW POPULATION DENSITY 

6 AREAS. 

7 Section 1834(l)(12) of the Social Security Act (42 

8 U.S.C. 1395m(l)(12)) is amended by adding at the end 

9 the following new subparagraphs: 

10 ‘‘(C) EXCEPTION FOR RURAL AND QUALI11 FIED RURAL AREAS.—The Secretary shall deem 

12 an area designated as a rural or qualified rural 

13 area under this paragraph that would otherwise 

14 no longer receive such designation to retain its 

15 previous designated status if there are 1,000 or 

16 fewer individuals per square mile in the area. 

17 ‘‘(D) RIGHT TO APPEAL RURAL AREAS

18 AND QUALIFIED RURAL AREAS.—The Secretary 

19 shall establish an administrative appeals proc20 ess to allow ambulance services providers and 

21 suppliers to seek reconsideration of a change in 

22 a ZIP code’s status as a rural or qualified rural 

23 area during the first 12 months after the SecVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:18 May 28, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2454.IH H2454

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1 retary finalizes a change in the designation 

2 made under this paragraph.’’. 

Æ 


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