Medicare Update: New Bill Would Increase Payments Impacting EMS
Summary
A new bipartisan bill in the U.S. House aims to update how Medicare pays ambulance providers. The bill would require Medicare to use current cost data to set ambulance payment rates, helping emergency medical services (EMS) in rural areas avoid financial problems.Key Facts
- The bill is called the Reimbursing Emergency Services for Critical Urgent Encounters (RESCUE) Act of 2026.
- It would require Medicare to update ambulance payment rates regularly using current cost information.
- Medicare currently uses payment rates based on data from 1998, which has not kept up with rising expenses like labor, fuel, and equipment.
- Ambulance providers often lose over $1,500 per transport because Medicare payments are too low.
- The RESCUE Act would start updated payments in 2028 and require reviews every three years.
- The bill includes higher payments for air ambulance services and better data reporting requirements.
- It has bipartisan support and is under review by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.
- Supporters say the bill will help EMS agencies, especially in rural areas, stay open and ready to respond to emergencies.
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