WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) sent a letter to Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine Chao, urging her to comply with congressional requirements and promptly convene the Air Ambulance and Patient Billing (AAPB) Advisory Committee.  Congress directed DOT to establish this task force within 60 days of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, but 10 months have passed since the President signed the bill into law and the advisory committee still has not met.  The task force’s purpose is to inform Congress on air ambulance medical patient billing as Ways and Means Committee leaders work to address the issue of balance billing.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report this year that found that nearly 70 percent of analyzed air ambulance transports conducted in 2017 for privately insured patients were out-of-network, a significantly higher rate than other emergency services.  The cost of these out-of-network air ambulance services are leaving patients exposed to unexpectedly high out-of-pocket bills.

The AAPB Advisory Committee is required to provide Congress, DOT, and the Department of Health and Human Services with recommendations to protect consumers from balance billing for air ambulance transports, requirements for the disclosure of charges and fees for these services, and consumer protection and enforcement authorities of both the DOT and states.  “This information is critical as Congress considers appropriate steps to find the best solution to protect consumers from surprise bills,” wrote Brady and Neal.  “However, the committee has failed to convene, let alone produce a report. Additionally, Congress mandated the Secretary of DOT to submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress on air ambulance oversight, which has also yet to be provided.”

Brady and Neal requested that, within 14 days, DOT provide updated deadlines for the appointment of individuals to the task force, along with a timeline for convening the advisory committee and providing recommendations and a final report.

Full text of the letter is available HERE.