Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2021
Bill: S.2037 | Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine (D-NV)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2021
This bill modifies Medicare payment of ground ambulance services in rural areas.
Specifically, the bill extends the specialized rate increase for such services for an additional five years (until January 1, 2028). The bill also requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to (1) allow an area that has 1,000 or fewer individuals per square mile to retain its status as a rural area even if it would otherwise no longer qualify, and (2) establish an appeals process for providers to seek reconsideration of a change in an area's status.

To amend title XVIII to strengthen ambulance services furnished under 
                    part B of the Medicare program.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Access 
to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2021''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

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.

         TITLE I--PROTECT ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY AMBULANCE CARE

SEC. 101. PROTECTING PATIENT ACCESS TO GROUND AMBULANCE SERVICES.

    Section 1834(l) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(l)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (12)(A), by striking ``2023'' and 
        inserting ``2028''; and
            (2) in paragraph (13)(A), by striking ``2023'' each place 
        it appears and inserting ``2028'' in each such place.

 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.

    Section 1834(l)(12) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395m(l)(12)) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraphs:
                    ``(C) Exception for rural and qualified rural 
                areas.--The Secretary shall deem an area designated as 
                a rural or qualified rural area under this paragraph 
                that would otherwise no longer receive such designation 
                to retain its previous designated status if there are 
                1,000 or fewer individuals per square mile in the area.
                    ``(D) Right to appeal rural areas and qualified 
                rural areas.--The Secretary shall establish an 
                administrative appeals process to allow ambulance 
                services providers and suppliers to seek 
                reconsideration of a change in a ZIP code's status as a 
                rural or qualified rural area during the first 12 
                months after the Secretary finalizes a change in the 
                designation made under this paragraph.''.
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