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Section 1
1. Short title This Act may be cited as the
Protecting Air Ambulance Services for Americans Act of
2025.
Section 2
2. Improvements to Medicare payment system for air ambulance services Section 1834(l) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1395m(l)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: The Secretary may revise the fee schedule otherwise established under
this subsection for air ambulance services based on data described in
subparagraph (B) and data collected under subparagraph (C). For purposes of subparagraph (A), the data described in this
subparagraph is data collected pursuant to the provisions of, and
amendments made by, section 106 of division BB of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260). The Secretary shall require, once every 3 years, providers of services
and suppliers furnishing air ambulance services to submit to the
Secretary— data relating to the fixed and operated costs per air ambulance
base attributable to furnishing air ambulance services to
individuals enrolled under this part and data relating to the
utilization of such services by such individuals; data relating to the revenue obtained by such providers and
suppliers under this part attributable to the furnishing of such
services; and any other information determined appropriate by the
Secretary. In the case that the Secretary elects to revise the fee schedule for
air ambulance services under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall
consider stakeholder input in a process that is transparent and
appropriately considers data described in subparagraph (B) and data
collected under subparagraph (C). (18)
Improvements to medicare payment system for air ambulance
services
(A)
In general
The Secretary may revise the fee schedule otherwise established under
this subsection for air ambulance services based on data described in
subparagraph (B) and data collected under subparagraph (C).
(B)
Data described
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the data described in this
subparagraph is data collected pursuant to the provisions of, and
amendments made by, section 106 of division BB of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260).
(C)
Additional data collection
The Secretary shall require, once every 3 years, providers of services
and suppliers furnishing air ambulance services to submit to the
Secretary—
(i)
data relating to the fixed and operated costs per air ambulance
base attributable to furnishing air ambulance services to
individuals enrolled under this part and data relating to the
utilization of such services by such individuals;
(ii)
data relating to the revenue obtained by such providers and
suppliers under this part attributable to the furnishing of such
services; and
(iii)
any other information determined appropriate by the
Secretary.
(D)
Consultation
In the case that the Secretary elects to revise the fee schedule for
air ambulance services under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall
consider stakeholder input in a process that is transparent and
appropriately considers data described in subparagraph (B) and data
collected under subparagraph (C).
.
Section 3
3. Timely finalization of air ambulance data collection rule Not later than 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall finalize and
publish a final rule implementing the air ambulance data collection requirements
under section 106 of division BB of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021
(Public Law 116–260).
Section 4
4. GAO study on emergency air ambulance costs Not later than 1 year after the date on which
data begins to be collected pursuant to the provisions of, and amendments made by,
section 106 of division BB of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law
116–260), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee
on Finance of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report detailing— the average annual operating costs per air ambulance base; the average cost per transport by air ambulance; the payor mix for air ambulance services; the adequacy of Medicare payments for such services; geographic variations in the cost of furnishing such services; and recommendations on improving the fee schedule under section 1834(l) of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(l)) for air ambulance services.