The bill amends the Code of Alabama 1975 to extend the assessment on emergency medical transport providers until July 1, 2028, and refines the definition of "emergency medical transport" to include only services billable under specific HCPCS emergency transport codes, explicitly excluding non-ambulance conveyances such as passenger cars and taxicabs. The assessment rate is capped at 5.3 percent, with adjustments allowed based on surplus assessments from prior quarters. Additionally, the payment timeline for these assessments is modified, requiring payments by the 15th of the month following the fiscal quarter's end, with penalties for late payments and a reporting mechanism to the Alabama Medicaid Agency for delinquent payments not received by the 45th day.

Key insertions in the bill include provisions that enable emergency medical transport providers to rectify payment delinquencies within 15 days to maintain eligibility for transport enhancements, with a stipulation that failure to do so results in loss of eligibility for that quarter. The bill also mandates quarterly statements from providers detailing transports and gross receipts, while ensuring the confidentiality of collected information, except for necessary disclosures to the Alabama Medicaid Agency. Furthermore, it introduces a new calculation method for transport enhancement rates based on the difference between Medicaid and average commercial insurer rates, replacing the previous assessment pool method. The act is set to take effect on June 1, 2025, and will be contingent on certain federal funding 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