Senate considering Medicare Ambulance Payment Extension Act

By TRISTAN NORTH
American Ambulance Association Senior Vice President for Government Affairs

WASHINGTON, DC. — Earlier today, Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Trent Lott (R-MS) and Kent Conrad (D-ND) issued a "Dear Colleague" letter to all Senators asking them to cosponsor the Medicare Ambulance Payment Extension Act (S. 1310).  To access a copy of the "Dear Colleague" letter, please go to the AAA homepage at www.the-aaa.org and click on "Senate Medicare Ambulance Relief Dear Colleague".

With the Senate Finance Committee about to develop a Medicare package to address a fix to the physician fee schedule, the timing of the "Dear Colleague" letter couldn't be better.  But Senators now need to hear by phone from ambulance service providers in their state if Senators are to cosponsor S. 1310 and support including Medicare ambulance relief in the physician fix package.

It is therefore critical that you act on the Call to Action issued by the AAA earlier today.  Please call the offices of your members of Congress to ask them to cosponsor the Medicare Ambulance Payment Extension Act (S. 1310, H.R. 2164).  This legislation would implement a 5% Medicare rate increase for 2008 and 2009 for all ground ambulance services.  Please call today!

The AAA online letter writing tool can now be used to assist you in calling the offices of your members of Congress.  All you will need to do is enter your zip code and the new tool will provide you with phone numbers for the Capitol Hill offices of your members of Congress as well as separate talking points depending on if you are calling a Senate or House office.  You then just ask to speak to the legislative assistant for health care issues. The system will even allow you to provide the AAA with immediate feedback about your call.

To access the new AAA online call system, go to
 http://capwiz.com/the-aaa/callalert/index.tt?alertid=10011851.

You can also access the call system through the AAA homepage at
www.the-aaa.org by clicking on "Call Congress on Medicare Relief" in the "On Capitol Hill" box. 

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