Senate Bill No. 429 aims to amend the reimbursement methodology for ambulance services under the state medical assistance program, including Medicaid. The bill mandates that the Commissioner of Social Services increase the payment rate for eligible ambulance rides and revise the payment methodology to utilize a relative value unit system, similar to that used in the Medicare program. This system will apply to various types of ambulance services, including basic and advanced life support transports. Additionally, the bill introduces a new requirement for calculating out-of-district mileage based on the actual distance traveled by the ambulance with the patient onboard, rounded to the nearest one-tenth of a mile.

Effective July 1, 2026, the bill stipulates that ambulance service providers must document mileage using verifiable methods such as GPS data or mapping programs and maintain this documentation as part of the patient care record. The bill repeals the previous mileage calculation method and replaces it with these new requirements, which are expected to have no net fiscal impact on the Department of Social Services or municipalities.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
HS Joint Favorable:
File No. 311: