Posted on September 18th, 2022.

Rep. Buddy Carter (R-D1) introduced a bill to the U.S. House of Representatives this week that would improve accessibility to non-emergency medical transportation.

The Access to Critical Non-Emergency Transportation Services Act is a bipartisan bill that would expand access to vulnerable, dual-eligible Medicare and Medicaid patients.

Currently, Medicare recipients need prior authorization before accessing an ambulance ride, which is concerning for vulnerable individuals that need regular and critical health care services.

Carter said that this bill is common sense legislation, especially for people who are suffering from kidney disease, diabetes and other medical conditions that need recurring transportation.

“It’s going to help those who need it the most," Carter said. "Because we really are talking about, albeit a, you know, a small part of the population, but it is a population that needs this medical transport.”

Chatham Emergency Services CEO Chuck Kearns said that some of the weakest and most vulnerable patients were not getting approval for transportation, and he’s seen the effects of that firsthand.

“We’ll sometimes, from time to time, get a 911 call from somebody who’s fallen very ill because they weren’t able to get the prior approval," Kearns said.

Carter’s team said an evaluation of the previous model showed that nearly half of the recipients who lose their ambulance service are low-income, frail, disabled and elderly.

“If we can, you know, keep people healthy it actually saves us. And not only that, but the quality of life of these individuals improves as well," Carter said.

Carter thanked his democratic cosponsors in a press release and said, “Bureaucracy should never be a barrier to high-quality medical care.”

Source: Fox 28