Earlier today, the House of Representatives joined the Senate in passing “The American Rescue Plan.” Among the many provisions, this legislation includes waiver authority to allow Medicare to reimburse for ground ambulance services provided during the COVID-19 public health emergency when the beneficiary has not been transported under certain circumstances. It also increases the Provider Relief Fund by $8.5 billion, targeting the money to rural providers and suppliers, including ground ambulance services.
  
Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced S. 149 that would allow CMS to waive the statutory provision creating the barrier to reimbursement during the pandemic. More specifically, it would allow CMS to reimburse ground ambulance services responding to a 9-1-1 or equivalent emergency call even when the beneficiary is not transported when a community-wide EMS protocol prohibiting the transport is in place. Reps. Cindy Axne (D-IA), John Larson (D-CT), and Bruce Westerman (R-AR) introduced the companion bill, H.R. 1609, in the House. We thank these congressional champions for their leadership on this very important legislation.
 
The Senate included S. 149 in “The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021,” which passed the Senate 50-49 on March 6. This amended version passed the House earlier today and the President is expected to sign the bill into law before March 14.  CMS will need to exercise its authority under the waiver for the provision to be implemented. We are working with our partners at the American Ambulance Association, International Association of Fire Chiefs, and International Association of Fire Fighters to ensure that CMS acts on this bill as soon as possible.  

In addition to the waiver allowing for reimbursement for treatment in place, the final bill includes $8.5 billion additional dollars for the Provider Relief Fund directed to rural health care providers and suppliers. The funds can be used for health care related expenses and lost revenues that are attributable to COVID–19.  To be eligible for a payment, an eligible rural health care provider or supplier must be enrolled Medicare or Medicaid and submit to the Secretary an application that includes a justification statement, documentation of the expenses or losses, the tax identification number, assurance required by the Secretary, and any other information the Secretary requires.  The expenses and losses cannot have been reimbursed from another source or another source cannot already be obligated to reimburse.