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Committee hears support to remove sunset on ambulance transport quality assurance fee
Summary
Senate Bill 5764 would repeal the July 1, 2028 expiration of the Ambulance Quality Assurance Fee and associated fund. Supporters from the ambulance industry told the committee the fee has improved wages and stability and is budget neutral to the state.
Committee staff briefed the Appropriations Committee on Senate Bill 5764, which would repeal the expiration date for the Ambulance Quality Assurance Fee (AQAF) and the associated fund. The fee requires private ambulance transport providers to pay a per‑transport fee; the proceeds and interest are deposited into a fund used to make Medicaid payments for scope‑of‑service reimbursement and to cover state administrative costs.
Megan Morris (staff) summarized the program background and the fiscal note: the fee currently helps draw down federal match for Medicaid payments and saves about $602,000 per fiscal year in state general fund compared with replacing those payments from the GF, and the fee program is set to expire on July 1, 2028. Mike Battis, president of the Washington Ambulance Association and director of Ballard Ambulance, testified in support and described industry improvements since the AQAF’s adoption in 2020: increased wages and benefits of roughly 25–30% for private EMS, improved sector stability, and no net state cost because the program uses provider assessments to draw federal match.
The committee recorded no formal vote on the bill in the transcript; staff and industry witnesses urged continuation of the fee to maintain EMS stability and reimbursement structure.
