On March 10, the United States Senate passed Medicare ambulance relief extensions as part of the Tax Extenders Act of 2009 (H.R. 4213). The Senate passed H.R. 4213 by a vote of 62 to 36. To determine how your Senators voted, please go to: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00048 <http://www.mmsend55.com/ls.cfm?r=47652036&sid=8897649&m=953794&u=CMGAA&s=http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00048>

The Tax Extenders Act would extend the temporary 2% urban and 3% rural increases and the super rural bonus payments under the Medicare ambulance fee schedule. The extension would be retroactive to January 1, 2010 and expire on December 31, 2010. The bill will now be referred to the U.S. House of Representatives where the Democratic Leadership will determine whether to pass the Senate bill or request a conference with the Senate to resolve differences with the bill passed by the House. The House-passed bill focused on tax and other incentive extenders and did not include Medicare provider relief extensions.

A permanent Medicare Ambulance Relief Bill has also been introduced in Congress. The Medicare Ambulance Access Preservation Act (MAAPA) was introduced in the Senate by Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and in the House by Congressmen Richard Neal (D-MA) and Fred Upton (R-MI). MAAPA would provide a permanent 6% Medicare increase for transports originating in an urban or rural area and permanently extend the bonus base payment of 22.6% for transports originating in super rural areas.NAEMT is advocating for extensions of current Medicare ambulance relief as well as encouraging Members of Congress to cosponsor MAAPA.

Below is a list, current as of today, of members of Congress who have officially been added as cosponsors to MAAPA:

AL: Sen. Jeff Sessions
AR: Sen. Blanche Lincoln, Sen. Mark Pryor
CA: Rep. Devin Nunes
CT: Rep. Rosa DeLauro: Rep. Chris Murphy
GA: Sen. Saxby Chambliss, Sen. Johnny Isakson
IA: Sen. Tom Harkin
KS: Sen. Pat Roberts
LA: Sen. Mary Landrieu
ME: Sen. Susan Collins, Rep. Michael Michaud
MP: Del. Gregorio Sablan
MA: Sen. John Kerry, Rep. Richard Neal, Rep. James McGovern
MI: Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Rep. Fred Upton, Rep. Dale Kildee, Rep. Bart Stupak, Rep. Mark Schauer
MN: Sen. Amy Klobuchar
MS: Sen. Thad Cochran
MO: Sen. Kit Bond
MT: Sen. Jon Tester
NV: Rep. Shelley Berkley
NJ: Sen. Frank Lautenberg, Rep. Steven Rothman, Rep. Albio Sires
NY: Sen. Charles Schumer, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep. Paul Tonko
NH: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen
ND: Sen. Kent Conrad, Sen. Byron Dorgan
OH: Rep. Patrick Tiberi
OR: Rep. Peter DeFazio
PA: Rep. Jim Gerlach, Rep. Tim Murphy, Rep. Tim Holden
RI: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Rep. James Langevin
SD: Rep. Stephanie Sandlin Herseth
VT: Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Peter Welch
WA: Rep. Doc Hastings
WV: Rep. Nick Rahall