S. 2518 — Protecting Air Ambulance Services for Americans Act of 2025

This section authorizes the Secretary to revise the Medicare fee schedule for air ambulance services (i.e., fixed-wing and rotary-wing transports under Medicare Part B) based on data collected under section 106 of division BB of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260), and additional data required under the new provision. It directs providers and suppliers furnishing such services to submit to the Secretary, once every three years, (1) fixed and operating costs per air ambulance base and utilization data for Medicare enrollees, (2) Medicare revenue attributable to such services, and (3) other information as determined appropriate by the Secretary; and requires stakeholder consultation through a transparent process if the Secretary elects to revise the fee schedule.

This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to finalize and publish, not later than six months after enactment, a final rule implementing air ambulance data collection requirements established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260). (As background, those requirements direct air ambulance providers to report data on claims, payments, and reimbursements to promote billing transparency under the No Surprises Act.)

This section directs the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to the Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committees on Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce, not later than one year after data collection begins under section 106 of division BB of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260), detailing (1) average annual operating costs per air ambulance base; (2) average cost per air ambulance transport; (3) payor mix for air ambulance services; (4) adequacy of Medicare payments for such services; (5) geographic variations in costs of furnishing such services; and (6) recommendations to improve the Medicare fee schedule for air ambulance services under section 1834(l) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(l)).