Bill > HB56

This bill establishes an ambulance provider assessment fee program designed to improve Medicaid reimbursement rates for emergency ambulance services. Under the bill, ambulance providers (excluding public ambulance providers, air ambulance services, and certain government entities) will be required to pay a 5.75% fee on their net operating revenues annually. The Department of Revenue will collect these fees and deposit them into a special revenue account, with the primary purpose of increasing Medicaid payments to emergency ambulance services up to the average commercial rate. The bill includes detailed provisions for reporting, auditing, and collecting the assessment fee, with potential penalties for non-compliance. Providers must file annual reports by June 30th and maintain financial records for at least five years. The assessment fee is additional to other existing taxes and fees. Importantly, the bill is contingent on approval from federal health authorities and will automatically become void if federal law changes in a way that prevents the fee from being counted as the state's Medicaid contribution. The program is set to terminate on June 30, 2033, and includes initial appropriations to the Department of Revenue to cover implementation costs.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/20251/LC0205