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Senate committee advances EMS billing bill to let providers bill for on-scene care (Medicaid-only amendment adopted)
Summary
The Senate Committee on Appropriations passed SB 1069 with amendment J002 limiting the billing change to Medicaid; proponents said allowing EMS to bill for on-scene care could reduce ER use and lower costs, while private insurers had pushed back.
Senators considered Senate Bill 1069 and adopted amendment J002 to apply the billing change only to Medicaid before the committee voted to advance the bill.
Sponsor Senator Mullica told the committee the amendment narrowed the bill’s scope to avoid working through private insurers and emphasized potential system-level savings if EMS can treat patients on scene, refer to primary care, and avoid costly emergency-room transports. Senator Kirkmeyer and others asked whether the fiscal note truly showed $0 in out years; Mullica and supporters said changes and the amendment kept the state fiscal note at zero and that some savings could accrue to patients and payers.
Opponents and private plans had pushed back, according to the sponsor, and senators discussed edge cases (for example, when an ambulance is summoned by a third party and the patient declines transport). Supporters said the bill removes incentives to transport patients who do not require ER care and can reduce system costs.
The committee adopted J002 and then passed the bill on a roll-call vote recorded in the transcript as 4–3.
