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HR 4938 116th Congress House

Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2019

Official title: To amend title XVIII to strengthen ambulance services furnished under part B of the Medicare program.

Introduced: October 31, 2019 Introduced by: Sewell, Terri A. Democratic · Alabama See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 1, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Oct 31, 2019
Introduced in House
Oct 31, 2019
Referred to the Committee on Energy and 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.
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 Latest action November 1, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2019

This bill establishes a series of requirements relating to coverage of ground ambulance services under Medicare.

Specifically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must continue to designate an area as a rural or qualified rural area that is eligible for increased payment under Medicare, even if the area would otherwise no longer qualify for such designation, if the area has a specified population density. The CMS must also establish an administrative process to allow ambulance service providers to appeal a change in an area's designation.

The bill also requires the CMS to (1) expand to all states a prior authorization model for repetitive scheduled nonemergent ambulance transport, in accordance with specified limitations, if such an expansion has not already occurred by a certain date; (2) increase payment rates for ground ambulance services; and (3) eliminate certain administrative requirements for such services.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Cosponsors 4
All 4 Democratic 1
Blumenauer, Earl
· Oct 31, 2019
Mullin, Markwayne
· Oct 31, 2019
Nunes, Devin
· Oct 31, 2019
 D
Welch, Peter
Vermont · Oct 31, 2019
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4938: Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2019. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-4938/
MLA
"H.R. 4938: Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2019." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-4938/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4938, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-4938/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4938: Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2019](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-4938/)
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