AB199: Bill Text

2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE

LRB-2473/1

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2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 199

April 15, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives Kurtz, Zimmerman, Summerfield, Dittrich, Donovan, Duchow, Franklin, Green, Gustafson, Kaufert, Kitchens, Kreibich, Maxey, Melotik, Moses, Mursau, O'Connor, Ortiz-Velez, Piwowarczyk, Steffen, Subeck, VanderMeer and Nedweski, cosponsored by Senators Marklein, James, Pfaff, Spreitzer and Testin. Referred to Committee on State Affairs.

AB199,1,5 An Act to amend 79.05 (2) (c); to create 256.04 (3) of the statutes; relating to: reimbursement of emergency services under the Medical Assistance program when a patient is not transported, reporting on changes to the scope of practice of emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners, and eligibility for the expenditure restraint incentive program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Medical Assistance reimbursement for nontransport ambulance services

Under current law, the Department of Health Services uses a standardized coding system, which is known as the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) and produced by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to describe certain products, supplies, and services for those submitting claims for reimbursement under the Medical Assistance program. The Medical Assistance program is a joint state and federal program that provides health services to individuals who have limited financial resources. This bill directs DHS to change, for dates of service beginning with January 1, 2027, the current maximum reimbursement allowed under the Medical Assistance program for services provided under HCPCS code A0998, often referenced as “ambulance response and treatment, no transport,” from the current maximum allowable fee to a rate that matches the maximum allowable rate for reimbursement of services provided under HCPCS code A0429, often referenced with a description of “ambulance service, basic life support, emergency transport (bls-emergency).”

Report on scope of practice changes

The bill requires the Emergency Medical Services Board, in consultation with DHS and the Technical College System Board, to annually submit a report to the legislature on state and national changes to the scope of practice of emergency medical responders, emergency medical services practitioners, or any equivalent practitioners in other jurisdictions and how those scope of practice changes may affect training for emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners in this state.

Expenditure restraint incentive program

The bill also excludes expenditures of amounts levied for fees apportioned to each municipality operating a joint fire department or joint emergency medical services district that are exempt from local levy limits from being considered in determining eligibility for an expenditure restraint incentive program payment. Under current law, a municipality is eligible to receive an expenditure restraint incentive program payment if its property tax levy is greater than 5 mills and if the annual increase in its municipal budget, subject to certain exceptions, is less than the sum of factors based on inflation and the increased value of property in the municipality as a result of new construction.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB199,1 Section 1. 79.05 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB199,3,21 79.05 (2) (c) Its municipal budget; exclusive of principal and interest on long- term debt and exclusive of revenue sharing payments under s. 66.0305, payments of premiums under s. 66.0137 (5) (c) 1. and 1m., expenditures of amounts levied under s. 66.0602 (3) (h), revenues generated from a tax imposed under s. 77.701, payments received under s. 79.038, expenditures of payments due to the termination of a tax incremental district under s. 79.096 (3), recycling fee payments under s. 289.645, expenditures of grant payments under s. 16.297 (1m), unreimbursed expenses related to an emergency declared under s. 323.10, expenditures from moneys received pursuant to P.L. 111-5, grants received from the state or federal government for the purpose of providing law enforcement, fire protection, or emergency medical services, and expenditures made pursuant to a purchasing agreement with a school district whereby the municipality makes purchases on behalf of the school district; for the year of the statement under s. 79.015 increased over its municipal budget as adjusted under sub. (6); exclusive of principal and interest on long-term debt and exclusive of revenue sharing payments under s. 66.0305, payments of premiums under s. 66.0137 (5) (c) 1. and 1m., expenditures of amounts levied under s. 66.0602 (3) (h), revenues generated from a tax imposed under s. 77.701, payments received under s. 79.038, expenditures of payments due to the termination of a tax incremental district under s. 79.096 (3), recycling fee payments under s. 289.645, expenditures of grant payments under s. 16.297 (1m), unreimbursed expenses related to an emergency declared under s. 323.10, expenditures from moneys received pursuant to P.L. 111-5, grants received from the state or federal government for the purpose of providing law enforcement, fire protection, or emergency medical services, and expenditures made pursuant to a purchasing agreement with a school district whereby the municipality makes purchases on behalf of the school district; for the year before that year by less than the sum of the inflation factor and the valuation factor, rounded to the nearest 0.10 percent.

AB199,2 Section 2. 256.04 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

AB199,4,7 256.04 (3) Annually, no later than September 15, in consultation with the department of health services and the technical college system board, submit a report to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) on state and national changes to the scope of practice of emergency medical responders, emergency medical services practitioners, or any equivalent practitioners in other jurisdictions and how those scope of practice changes may affect training for emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners in this state.

AB199,3 Section 3. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB199,4,17 (1) Medical Assistance reimbursement rates for nontransport ambulance services. For dates of service beginning with January 1, 2027, the department of health services shall increase reimbursement rates for services provided and reimbursable under the healthcare common procedure coding system code A0998 with a description of “ambulance response and treatment, no transport” from the current maximum allowable fee to a rate that matches the maximum allowable rate for reimbursement of services provided under healthcare common procedure coding system code A0429 with a description of “ambulance service, basic life support, emergency transport (bls-emergency).”

AB199,4,18 (end)