An advisory committee will begin meeting in January to kick-start efforts to curb surprise medical bills from ground ambulances, The Washington Post reported Dec. 13.
Ground ambulances were not included in the federal No Surprises Act, according to the report. The law that passed in December 2020 instead mandated federal departments to appoint an advisory committee to recommend options for preventing these medical bills.
The first meetings are scheduled for Jan. 17-18, according to the outlet, and a report is due 180 days later. A CMS spokesperson said the committee's recommendations will help shape policies aimed at "preventing balance billing, improving communication as it relates to insurance options for service, and by providing upfront and easy to understand disclosures of charges and fees for ground ambulance service," according to the report.