[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4952 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4952

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 25, 2000

 Mr. Hinchey 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 
2000''.

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 
        (uu));''.
            (2) Services described.--Section 1861 of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended by adding at the end 
        the following new subsection:

                     ``Paramedic Intercept Services

    ``(uu)(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 
        the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' before ``(S)''; and
                    (B) by inserting before the semicolon at the end 
                the following: ``, and (T) with respect to expenses for 
                paramedic intercept services (as defined in section 
                1861(uu)), the amounts paid may not exceed any 
                applicable limits established on payments for such 
                services by the State in which the services are 
                provided''.
            (4) Conforming repeal.--Section 4531 of the Balanced Budget 
        Act of 1997 (42 U.S.C. 1395x note), as amended by section 
        412(a) of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget 
        Refinement Act of 1999 (113 Stat. 1501A-377), as enacted into 
        law by section 1000(a)(6) of Public Law 106-113, is amended by 
        striking subsection (c).
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply to paramedic intercept services provided on or after January 1, 
2001.
                                 <all>