Bill Text: NJ A1274 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs DHSS to adopt regulations concerning the billing practices and fees charged for basic and advanced life support services.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-12 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee [A1274 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A1274-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
214th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JAMES W. HOLZAPFEL
District 10 (Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Directs DHSS to adopt regulations concerning the billing practices and fees charged for basic and advanced life support services.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning the billing practices of pre-hospital providers and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Advanced life support" means an advanced level of pre-hospital care which includes basic life support functions, cardiac monitoring, cardiac defibrillation, telemetered electrocardiography, administration of anti-arrhythmic agents, intravenous therapy, administration of specific medications, drugs and solutions, use of adjunctive ventilation devices, trauma care and other techniques and procedures authorized in writing by the commissioner;
"Basic life support" means a basic level of emergency care as defined by section 1 of P.L.1985, c.351 (C.26:2K-21);
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services;
"Pre-hospital providers" means an entity, or entities acting in cooperation with each other, to provide basic life support services, advanced life support services, or both, at the scene of an emergency, while transporting sick or injured persons to or from a health care facility or provider, or upon arrival to a health care facility or provider.
2. a. The commissioner shall adopt regulations concerning the billing practices and fees charged by pre-hospital providers administering advanced life support, basic life support, or both, to sick or injured persons.
b. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect reimbursement for pre-hospital providers under the federal Medicare program, the State Medicaid program or any other medical assistance program administered by the State.
c. The provisions of subsection a. of this section shall not apply to volunteer first aid or ambulance squads.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services to adopt regulations concerning the billing practices and fees charged by pre-hospital providers throughout the State. The bill specifies that the regulations shall not apply to volunteer first aid or ambulance squads.
As defined by the bill, pre-hospital providers are Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances that provide emergency medical services at the scene of an emergency, while transporting sick or injured persons to or from a health care facility or provider, or upon arrival to a health care facility or provider.
BLS ambulances operate on a community-by-community basis and are largely composed of volunteer members trained to provide only basic life support. ALS units are provided regionally by hospital-based Mobile Intensive Care Units and administer more advanced care such as medications, breathing tubes and intravenous lines. Dispatchers use State-issued criteria to determine when it is necessary to send only the BLS ambulance and when it is necessary to send both BLS and ALS ambulances.
Under current law, the commissioner has no legislative authority to regulate the fees charged for BLS or ALS services. This has resulted in disparities in the charges and billing practices for these services throughout the State.
