A new payment methodology change made by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) could cause emergency transportation providers to severely reduce services, close bases, or even bill United States military veterans for the remainder of their costs in order to shoulder the financial impacts of such a change, according to U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS).
“It is critical that VA continues to provide fair reimbursements for emergency transportation services so veterans, particularly those in rural areas, have no barriers standing between them and the health care they need,” Sen. Moran said.
To protect rural veterans’ access to quality, life-saving emergency medical care and transport, Sen. Moran on Sept. 11 signed on as the lead original cosponsor of the VA Emergency Transportation Access Act, S. 2757, which is sponsored by U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT).
If enacted, S. 2757 would bar the VA from reducing rates of pay and reimbursement for special mode transportation providers, including ground and air ambulances, unless the VA meets certain requirements that ensure rate changes will not reduce veterans’ access to such service, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
The “VA’s recent rulemaking threatens to upend access to care for veterans and all Americans by disrupting the air and ground ambulance industry from coast to coast,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation would put a stop to that by establishing common-sense parameters for VA to follow when setting air ambulance reimbursement rates to make certain veterans across the nation receive life-saving care when they need it most.”
In February, the VA finalized a rule change for special mode transportation service rates that will bring rates below the actual costs of these services. The rule change is slated to go into effect on Feb. 16, 2024, according to the final rule published in the Federal Register entitled “Change in Rates VA Pays for Special Modes of Transportation.”
S. 2757 would require the VA to complete several requirements before pursuing the rate change, including conducting a review of the impact a change in rates would have on veterans’ access to care; consulting industry experts, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, appropriate VA subject matter experts, and Veterans Service Organizations when conducting the review; and developing a formal process to update the rates that protects or expands veterans’ current access to emergency transportation.
The VA also would be required to ensure the new rates reflect the actual costs of transportation, the bill summary says.
“In rural states like Montana, emergency ground and air transportation is a lifeline for veterans who can easily find themselves a long way from a hospital when a medical emergency happens,” said Sen. Tester. “Our bipartisan bill will ensure veterans can continue to access the timely, lifesaving emergency services they have earned, and that local emergency transportation providers are fairly reimbursed for their service to these heroes.”
Paralyzed Veterans of America, the American Legion, the VFW, the American Ambulance Association, LifeSave Transport, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Life Flight Network, and the Association of Air Medical Services support the proposed bill.