Authorizes the commissioner of health to make adjustments to payments for the provision and reimbursement of transportation costs for the purposes of providing increased access to Medicaid Basic Life Support, Advanced Life Support Level 1, Advanced Life Support Level 2, and Specialty Care Transport in rural communities.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1928
SPONSOR: Smullen TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to rural ambulance
support
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL::
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to increasing the.
Medicaid reimbursement rates for rural ambulance services.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS::
Section 1.Adds a new subdivision 7 to section 365-h of social services
law allowing the commissioner of health, pursuant to federal partic-
ipation, to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for rural ambulance
services. Requires up to 10 million dollars to be made available for
such purposes:
Section 2. Adds a new subdivision 4 to section 365-h of social services
law allowing the commissioner of health, pursuant to federal partic-
ipation, to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for rural, ambulance
services. Requires up to 10 million dollars to be made available for
such purposes.
Section 3. Sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Throughout New York State, rural ambulance providers face increased .
challenges when compared to their suburban and urban counterparts due to
operating in areas with lower population density, rural ambulances.
These challenges include longer travel and response times, limited
access to nearby healthcare facilities, and staffing challenges associ-
ated with a smaller pool of professionals. All these challenges lead to
higher operational costs for rural ambulance services as they are
required to commit more resources per call, which results in an .
increased financial burden. Increasing reimbursement rates for rural
ambulance services that are experiencing these issues would alleviate
operational difficulties, improve recruitment and retention of staff,
and ensure access to services for rural New Yorkers.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
2024: A.9353 Referred to Health
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
This bill requires that up to $10 million be made available for
increased reimbursement rates for rural ambulances.
EFFECTIVE DATE::
This act shall take effect October 1, 2024
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1928
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 14, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SMULLEN, BEEPHAN -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to rural ambulance
support
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 365-h of the social services law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision 7 to read as follows:
3 7. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, and subject to
4 federal financial participation, the commissioner of health shall make
5 adjustments to payments under this section, for the purposes of provid-
6 ing increased access to Medicaid Basic Life Support, Advanced Life
7 Support Level 1, Advanced Life Support Level 2, and Specialty Care
8 Transport in rural communities. For purposes of this section, "rural
9 communities" includes any city, town, or village with a population
10 density less than two hundred fifty people per square mile located with-
11 in a county with a population of less than three hundred thousand people
12 and a population density of two hundred fifty people per square mile. Up
13 to ten million dollars shall be available for such purposes pursuant to
14 this subdivision.
15 § 2. Section 365-h of the social services law is amended by adding a
16 new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
17 4. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, and subject to
18 federal financial participation, the commissioner of health shall make
19 adjustments to payments under this section, for the purposes of provid-
20 ing increased access to Medicaid Basic Life Support, Advanced Life
21 Support Level 1, Advanced Life Support Level 2, and Specialty Care
22 Transport in rural communities. For purposes of this section, "rural
23 communities" includes any city, town, or village with a population
24 density less than two hundred fifty people per square mile located with-
25 in a county with a population of less than three hundred thousand people
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04575-01-5
A. 1928 2
1 and a population density of two hundred fifty people per square mile. Up
2 to ten million dollars shall be available for such purposes pursuant to
3 this subdivision.
4 § 3. This act shall take effect October 1, 2025; provided, however,
5 that the amendments to section 365-h of the social services law made by
6 section one of this act shall be subject to the expiration and reversion
7 of such section pursuant to subdivision (a) of section 40 of part B of
8 chapter 109 of the laws of 2010, as amended, when upon such date the
9 provisions of section two of this act shall take effect.
