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Committee hears bill to bar ambulance balance billing, set insurer payments at up to 400% of Medicare
Summary
A House Human Services hearing on House Bill 1322 featured supporters saying the measure would protect patients and shore up rural ambulance services, while insurers warned the bill could disrupt provider networks and raise premiums.
The House Human Services Committee opened a hearing on House Bill 1322, a proposal to change how insurers pay ground ambulance providers and to prohibit balance billing of patients.
Proponents said the bill would protect rural ambulance services that are losing money on many calls and prevent patients from receiving surprise bills. "This bill is...another cog in the wheel of trying to shore up our rural EMS, making sure it's viable in the future," said Representative Robin Wise (District 14), who introduced the measure.
The bill would (1) prohibit ambulance providers from collecting amounts from patients beyond applicable copayments, coinsurance and deductibles; (2) require insurers to pay ambulance providers directly in many instances; and (3) set a payment benchmark the bill's proponents described as up to 400% of Medicare for ground ambulance reimbursement.
Adam Parker, testifying for the North Dakota EMS Association, said state-collected data show the cost…
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