FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 1, 2023
Contact: media@soarcampaign.com
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Representatives Ron Estes (KS-04) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) announced introduction of the Protecting Air Ambulance Services for Americans Act of 2023 to modernize Medicare reimbursement rates for air ambulance service. If passed, these bills would give the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) the authority to update the Medicare reimbursement rates for emergency air medical services based on data collected by HHS.
“This bipartisan legislation will help preserve access to air medical services across the country, especially in rural areas,” said SOAR spokesperson PJ Amartey. “SOAR thanks Senators Bennet and Blackburn and Representatives Estes and DelBene for introducing these bills to ensure patients, particularly seniors, will have access to lifesaving flights.”
Currently, Medicare covers less than 50 percent of what it costs to transport a patient. This rate is determined by the air ambulance fee schedule that was last updated in 2002. The rate has not been adequately reassessed in over 20 years and does not take into account inflation, rising medical costs, and other factors that have increased the cost of providing air medical transport.
The legislation specifically gives CMS the authority to revise the air ambulance fee schedule using two years of cost data currently being collected under the No Surprises Act and additional data relating to operating costs for air ambulance bases, utilization by Medicare beneficiaries, and Medicare revenue received from air medical providers.
"With rural hospitals and air ambulance bases closing, patients are losing access to health care,” said Amartey. “This legislation will provide certainty for families living in rural communities who rely on air ambulances in an emergency.”
The legislation also requires the Government Accountability Office to submit a study within one year of CMS receiving cost data that analyzes average costs per base and transport, the payor mix for air ambulance services, adequacy of Medicare reimbursement, geographic variations in costs of providing services, and recommendations on improving the fee schedule.
To learn more, visit SOAR’s website: https://www.soarcampaign.com/
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About Save Our Air Medical Resources (SOAR)
Save Our Air Medical Resources (SOAR) is a national campaign dedicated to preserving access to emergency air medical services for Americans across the country. Official partners of the SOAR Campaign include industry experts, in-flight paramedics and nurses, and patients who rely on emergency services. To learn more about SOAR visit https://www.soarcampaign.com/