STUDY OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR AMBULANCE SERVICES.

SEC. 6136. STUDY OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR AMBULANCE SERVICES. (a) In General.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall conduct a study to determine the adequacy and appropriateness of payment amounts under title XVIII of the Social Security Act for ambulance services. Such study shall examine at least the following: (1) The effect of payment amounts on the provision of ambulance services in rural areas. 103 STAT. 2223 (2) The relationship of such payment amounts to the direct and indirect costs of providing ambulance services. Such relationship shall be examined separately— (A)(i) for tax-subsidized, municipally-owned and operated services, (ii) for volunteer services, (iii) for private, for-profit services, and (iv) for hospital-owned services, and (B) for different levels (such as basic life support and advanced life support) of such services. (3) How such payment amounts compare to the payment amounts made for ambulance services under medicaid plans under title XIX of such Act (b) Report.—By not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the results of the study conducted under subsection (a) and shall include in the report such recommendations for changes in medicare payment policy with respect to ambulance services as may be needed to ensure access by medicare beneficiaries to quality ambulance services in metropolitan and rural areas.