[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2153 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2153

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
 under part B of the Medicare program of paramedic intercept services 
 provided in support of public, volunteer, or non-profit providers of 
                          ambulance services.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 11, 1997

 Ms. DeLauro (for herself and Ms. Slaughter) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
 under part B of the Medicare program of paramedic intercept services 
 provided in support of public, volunteer, or non-profit providers of 
                          ambulance services.

    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 ``Community Ambulance Support Act of 
1997''.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF CERTAIN PARAMEDIC INTERCEPT SERVICES.

    (a) Coverage.--
            (1) In general.--Section 1861(s)(7) of the Social Security 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(7)) is amended by striking 
        ``regulations;'' and inserting ``regulations, including 
        paramedic intercept services (as described in subsection 
        (oo));''.
            (2) Services described.--Section 1861 of such Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1395x) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
        subsection:

                     ``Paramedic Intercept Services

    ``(oo)(1) The term `paramedic intercept services' means ambulance 
services consisting of advanced life support services provided by a 
qualified provider of ambulance services under this title in support of 
an entity that is a qualified public, volunteer, or non-profit provider 
of ambulance services (as defined in paragraph (2)).
    ``(2) In paragraph (1), the term `qualified public, volunteer, or 
non-profit provider of ambulance services' means a public, volunteer, 
or non-profit provider of ambulance services that is licensed, 
certified, or approved by a State to provide such services (including 
basic life support services and transportation services) with or 
without charge to individuals receiving such services.''.
            (3) Limitation on amount of payment.--Section 1833(a)(1) of 
        such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``and (P)'' and inserting ``(P)''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking the semicolon at the end and 
                inserting the following: ``, and (Q) with respect to 
                expenses for paramedic intercept services (as defined 
                in section 1861(oo)), the amounts paid may not exceed 
                any applicable limits established on payments for such 
                services by the State in which the services are 
                provided;''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply to paramedic intercept services provided on or after January 1, 
1998.
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