SEC. 2. EXPANDED COVERAGE OF PARAMEDIC INTERCEPT 
SERVICES UNDER THE MEDICARE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4531(c) of the Balanced 
Budget Act of 1997 (111 Stat. 452; 42 U.S.C. 1395x 
note) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) PAYMENT FOR PARAMEDIC INTERCEPT SERVICE 
PROVIDERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—In promulgating regula-
tions to carry out section 1861(s)(7) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(7)) with respect to 
the coverage of ambulance services, the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services shall include coverage 
of advanced life support intercept services (in this 
subsection referred to as ‘ALS intercept services’). 
‘‘(2) CONDITIONS OF COVERAGE.—For the pur-
poses of this subsection, ALS intercept services con-
sist of a qualified paramedic providing ALS level 
services in connection with the transport of a patient 
by an ambulance qualified to provide only a basic 
life support level of services if the following condi-
tions are met: 
‘‘(A) The entity providing the ambulance 
transportation is a public, non-profit, or volun-
teer organization which— 
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‘‘(i) is certified as qualified to provide 
ambulance services under title XVIII of 
the Social Security Act; and 
‘‘(ii) provides only basic life support 
services at the time of the intercept. 
‘‘(B) The paramedic providing such serv-
ices is not employed or compensated by the en-
tity providing the ambulance transportation and 
the entity employing or compensating such 
paramedic is not related to the entity providing 
the ambulance transportation. 
‘‘(C) The ALS intercept services are re-
quested by the entity providing the ambulance 
transportation or are dispatched to coordinate 
with such entity and such services are medically 
necessary based on the medical condition for 
which they are dispatched. 
‘‘(D) The entity that is employing or com-
pensating that paramedic— 
‘‘(i) is certified as qualified to provide 
such services under such title; and 
‘‘(ii) bills all individuals (or their in-
surers) who receive ALS intercept services 
from the entity, regardless of whether such 
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individuals are beneficiaries under such 
title. 
‘‘(E) The paramedic providing the inter-
cept services accompanies and provides an ALS 
assessment or ALS intervention to the patient 
during the transport.’’. 
(b) PAYMENTS NOT COUNTED IN COMPUTING AMBU-
LANCE FEE SCHEDULE AMOUNTS.—The Secretary of 
Health and Human Services shall not take into account 
any payments made pursuant to the amendment made by 
subsection (a) in determining payment amounts under the 
ambulance fee schedule under section 1834(l) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(l)), or the aggregate 
amount of payments under such section, for any year. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to ambulance serv-
ices provided on or after January 1, 2009. 
Æ 
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