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Committee weighs competing fixes to surprise ambulance billing as sponsors debate reimbursement standard
Summary
Chairman Powell presented House Bill 9‑61 to set a statutory reimbursement approach for surprise ambulance billing after recounting a $4,500 private-ambulance bill; EMS groups urged a 325% of Medicare standard while insurer representatives warned a fixed percentage could push providers out of in‑network contracts and raised a 2027 federal subsidy risk for exchange plans.
Chairman Powell told the subcommittee House Bill 9 61 aims to protect patients from surprise ambulance bills while balancing the funding needs of public EMS providers. He opened with a personal anecdote about a private ambulance charging $4,500 for a 10‑mile transport and said the bill in committee text referenced a 300% of Medicare standard as a compromise point.
Why it matters: Members and witnesses described competing tradeoffs. Representative Scott recounted a $1,800 bill for a short transport and…
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