2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
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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.
***AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
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 Xambulance
response and treatment, no transport,Y from the current maximum allowable fee to
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a rate that matches the maximum allowable rate for reimbursement of services
provided under HCPCS code A0429, often referenced with a description of
Xambulance service, basic life support, emergency transport (bls-emergency).Y
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:
SECTION 1. 79.05 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
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
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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.
SECTION 2. 256.04 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
256.04 (3) Annually, no later than September 15, in consultation with the
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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.
SECTION 3. Nonstatutory provisions.
(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 Xambulance response and treatment, no
transportY 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 Xambulance
service, basic life support, emergency transport (bls-emergency).Y
(END)
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