S.Amdt. 2021

SA 2021. Mr. BENNET (for himself and Mrs. Blackburn) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 1911 proposed by Ms.
Cantwell (for herself, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Duckworth, and Mr. Moran) to the
bill H.R. 3935, to amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize
and improve the Federal Aviation Administration and other civil
aviation programs, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

[[Page S3552]]

SEC. __. IMPROVEMENTS TO MEDICARE PAYMENT SYSTEM FOR AIR
AMBULANCE SERVICES.

Section 1834(l) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1395m(l)) is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(18) Improvements to medicare payment system for air
ambulance services.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary may revise the fee
schedule otherwise established under this subsection for air
ambulance services based on data described in subparagraph
(B) and data collected under subparagraph (C).
``(B) Data described.--For purposes of subparagraph (A),
the data described in this subparagraph is data collected
pursuant to the provisions of, and amendments made by,
section 106 of division BB of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).
``(C) Additional data collection.--The Secretary shall
require, once every 3 years, providers of services and
suppliers furnishing air ambulance services to submit to the
Secretary--
``(i) data relating to the fixed and operated costs per air
ambulance base attributable to furnishing air ambulance
services to individuals enrolled under this part and data
relating to the utilization of such services by such
individuals;
``(ii) data relating to the revenue obtained by such
providers and suppliers under this part attributable to the
furnishing of such services; and
``(iii) any other information determined appropriate by the
Secretary.
``(D) Consultation.--In the case that the Secretary elects
to revise the fee schedule for air ambulance services under
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall consider stakeholder
input in a process that is transparent and appropriately
considers data described in subparagraph (B) and data
collected under subparagraph (C).''.

SEC. __. GAO STUDY ON EMERGENCY AIR AMBULANCE COSTS.

Not later than 1 year after the date on which data begins
to be collected pursuant to the provisions of, and amendments
made by, section 106 of division BB of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260), the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the
Committee on Finance of the Senate and the Committee on Ways
and Means and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives, a report detailing--
(1) the average annual operating costs per air ambulance
base;
(2) the average cost per transport by air ambulance;
(3) the payor mix for air ambulance services;
(4) the adequacy of Medicare payments for such services;
(5) geographic variations in the cost of furnishing such
services; and
(6) recommendations on improving the fee schedule under
section 1834(l) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1395m(l)) for air ambulance services.
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