The bill amends the Code of Alabama 1975 to extend the assessment on emergency medical transport providers through the fiscal quarter ending July 1, 2028. It redefines "emergency medical transport" to include only services billable under specific Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) emergency transport codes, explicitly excluding transportation by passenger cars, taxicabs, and other non-ambulance vehicles. The maximum assessment rate is set at 5.3 percent, with adjustments based on surplus assessments from prior quarters. The timeline for payment of assessments is modified, requiring payments to be made by the 15th day of the month following the fiscal quarter's close, and introduces penalties for late payments, including a 10 percent penalty and interest, although the department may waive these penalties under certain conditions.

Additionally, the bill establishes new provisions for emergency medical transport providers under the Medicaid Program, stating that if a provider is delinquent in payments, the state will withhold reimbursements until the issue is resolved within 15 days. If rectified, the provider retains eligibility for transport enhancements; otherwise, they lose eligibility for that quarter. Late payments after 15 days will be treated as surplus assessments. The bill also requires providers to file quarterly statements of their transports and gross receipts, maintaining confidentiality while allowing necessary disclosures to the Alabama Medicaid Agency. The enhancements will be calculated based on Medicaid-reimbursed transports, using a new formula instead of the previous assessment pool method. The bill is set to take effect on June 1, 2025, and includes provisions for refunding any remaining assessment pool to providers under specific conditions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 40-26B-91, 40-26B-94, 40-26B-95, 40-26B-99, 40-26B-91, 40-26B-94, 40-26B-95, 40-26B-99
Engrossed: 40-26B-90, 40-26B-93
Enrolled: 40-26B-90, 40-26B-93