SB1722 Summary

• Establishes payment system for ground ambulance services under Illinois Medicaid effective January 1, 2014, based on 80% of Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule rates adjusted by Medicare Locality.

• Requires Department of Healthcare and Family Services to pay ground ambulance providers the lesser of the provider's charge or the Illinois Medicaid Ambulance Fee Schedule payment rates for base and mileage charges.

• Provides enhanced reimbursement for rural county transports: pays 1.5 times the ground mileage rate for the first 17 miles and the standard ground mileage rate for remaining miles when pickup point is in a rural county.

• Establishes payment principles consistent with Medicare practices and requires physician discharge orders for medically supervised ground ambulance services when patients are discharged from facilities.

• Effective July 1, 2013, with implementation of new fee schedule effective January 1, 2014, subject to availability of appropriations.