Summary: The legislation would create a pilot program to test a reimbursement model for EMS treatment in place.
Background:
Under current Medicare policy, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers are generally reimbursed only when a patient is transported to a hospital emergency department. When EMS personnel are able to assess, treat, and resolve a patient’s condition on scene without transport, no reimbursement is provided.
This reimbursement structure affects fire service-based EMS systems that routinely respond to 9-1-1 medical calls where transport may not be medically necessary. Additionally, transporting patients unnecessarily contributes to emergency room backlogs across the country.
