The Medicare Ambulance Access Preservation Act of 2011 (MAAPA) was introduced in the Senate on March 1 by Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Kent Conrad (D-ND) and in the House on March 10 by Congressmen Charles Boustany (R-LA) and Richard Neal (D-MA).  MAAPA (S. 424, H.R. 1005) would provide a 6% increase under the Medicare ambulance fee schedule for ambulance transports originating in urban or rural areas and extend the bonus base payment of 22.6% for ambulance transports originating in super rural areas.  The increases would be for five years starting January 1, 2012.

Last year, Congress passed a temporary extension of 2% urban, 3% rural and super rural bonus increases until the end of 2011.  The relief from MAAPA would take the place of the current temporary Medicare ambulance relief and would not be in addition to it.  Medicare ambulance relief is one of the legislative priorities for NAEMT.

Current Cosponsors of MAAPA

Below is a list, current as of today, of members of Congress who have officially been added as cosponsors to MAAPA (S. 424, H.R. 1005).  Since our last report, Representative Jason Altmire (D-PA) has cosponsored H.R. 1005. The names of the lead sponsors of the bills are underlined.

CA: Rep. Devin Nunes

IL: Rep. Aaron Schock

KS: Sen. Pat Roberts

LA: Sen. Mary Landrieu, Rep. Charles Boustany

ME: Sen. Susan Collins, Rep. Michael Michaud

MA: Sen. John Kerry, Rep. Richard Neal, Rep. John Tierney

MN: Rep. Collin Peterson

NJ: Sen. Frank Lautenberg

NY: Sen. Charles Schumer, Rep. Paul Tonko, Rep. Maurice Hinchey

ND: Sen. Kent Conrad

PA: Rep. Tim Murphy, Rep. Jim Gerlach, Rep. Jason Altmire

TX: Rep. Charlie Gonzalez

VT: Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Peter Welch

WV: Rep. Nick Rahall