S-1381.1
SENATE BILL 5823
State of Washington
65th Legislature
2017 Regular Session
By Senator Cleveland
Read first time 02/15/17. Referred to Committee on Health Care.
AN ACT Relating to ensuring quality ambulance services for medicaid beneficiaries by applying the medicare payment rate for ambulance services furnished under medicaid by providers of ambulance services; adding a new section to chapter 74.09 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  The legislature finds as follows:
(1) Quality ambulance services are essential to ensuring quality of life for Washingtonians.
(2) A recent Washington state health care authority study found that current medicaid reimbursement is between sixteen and twenty-eight percent of what other payers reimburse for equivalent services and is substantially below the level needed to cover the costs of service. The previous study resulting in a fee increase specifically for ambulance services occurred in 2004.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 74.09 RCW to read as follows:
Medicaid payment for ambulance services furnished by state licensed ambulance services, must be at a rate not less than one hundred percent of the payment rate that applies to those services and providers under medicare.
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