On March 4, 2020, MACo Legislative Director Natasha Mehu testified to the House Health & Government Operations Committee to support three bills that all seek to modernize reimbursement for services provided by emergency service transporters to better meet growing demands and needs for services. Each bill proposes a slightly different way to increase reimbursements for emergency service transporters:
- HB 1496 – Medical Assistance Program – Emergency Service Transporters – Reimbursement for Transportation and Medical Services
- This bill would increase the rates for which the Maryland Department of Health is required to reimburse emergency service transporters for transportation of Medicaid patients to a hospital in response to a 9-1-1 call and would require the Department to also reimburse for mileage
accrued in response to the transport. The increase in the transport reimbursement is phased in at $25 a fiscal year until the reimbursement rate reaches at least $300, and the mileage reimbursement is set at $3 per mile.
- This bill would increase the rates for which the Maryland Department of Health is required to reimburse emergency service transporters for transportation of Medicaid patients to a hospital in response to a 9-1-1 call and would require the Department to also reimburse for mileage
- HB 1485 – Maryland Medical Assistance Program – Emergency Service Transporters – Reimbursement
- This bill would require emergency service transporters to be reimbursed by Medicaid in cases where they provide treatment to a Medicaid patient without transporting them to a hospital emergency department.
- HB 779 (CF SB 777) – Maryland Medical Assistance Program – Emergency Service Transporters and Emergency Medical Services Providers – Reimbursement
- This bill would increase the rate for which the Maryland Department of Health is required to reimburse emergency service transporters for transportation of Medicaid patients to a hospital in response to a
9-1-1 call and would require the Department also reimburse EMS providers for mobile integrated health services. The increased transport rate is set at $200 per transport and the rate for mobile
integrated health services is set at $100 per interaction.
- This bill would increase the rate for which the Maryland Department of Health is required to reimburse emergency service transporters for transportation of Medicaid patients to a hospital in response to a
From the MACo Testimony:
Emergency service transporters provide vital services to county residents in times of emergency and distress. They deserve to be adequately reimbursed for the treatment and services they provide. The mounting costs of emergency service transports and treatments are exceedingly being borne by county and volunteer providers without adequate increases in State support.
Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2020 legislative session on MACo’s Legislative Tracking Database.
