To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for cost-based reimbursement for ambulance services furnished directly by, or under arrangements with, a critical access hospital.

November 9, 2005

Mr. GORDON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for cost-based reimbursement for ambulance services furnished directly by, or under arrangements with, a critical access hospital.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Critical Access Hospital Ambulance Payment Reform Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. COST-BASED CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITAL AMBULANCE SERVICES CHANGES.

(a) In General- Section 1834(l)(8) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(l)(8)) is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (B)--

(A) by striking `owned and'; and

(B) by inserting `(including when such services are provided by the entity under an arrangement with the hospital)' after `hospital'; and

(2) by striking the comma at the end of subparagraph (B) and all that follows and inserting the period.

(b) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to services furnished on or after January 1, 2006.

END