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Committee pares ambulance rate rebasing request, agrees to place $1 million in budget
Summary
The department sought to rebase ambulance reimbursement to the Medicare rural lowest quartile; after debate the committee agreed to reduce the request and include $1,000,000 in the budget for the rebasing effort pending conference negotiation.
The Appropriations - Human Resources Division considered a proposed rebasing of Medicaid ambulance reimbursement to align state rates with the Medicare rural lowest quartile. Sarah Acre told the committee the rebasing would raise advanced life support base payments from roughly $600 to about $670 and basic life support from roughly $500 to about $560, aligning ambulance rates with Medicare quartile targets.
Some senators questioned the need for a rebasing given that ambulance providers previously received a substantial increase and preferred to consider the issue in conference committee; one member called for zeroing the request. Senators eventually agreed to place $1,000,000 in the budget for the rebasing effort rather than the full requested amount, with the chair noting the intent is to use that smaller amount to preserve the ability to negotiate in conference committee.
Committee discussion also addressed past biennial increases (department testimony said providers had received a 33 percent increase in a prior biennium) and the mechanics of applying increases across the biennium. The transcript shows the committee chose $1,000,000 as a compromise figure; committee members said they would revisit the question in conference committee before any final rebasing is adopted.
