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Medicare added two new significant programs for EMS agencies over the 2018-19 time period: the Medicare ET3 model and the new ambulance cost data reporting program.

Ambulance Cost Data Collection

Congress passed a spending bill in February 2018 that renewed the ambulance Medicare extenders for an additional five years and directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a cost reporting program for ambulances. The plan is due by December 31, 2019.

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Medicare’s ET3 Model

Medicare announced the voluntary Emergency Triage, Treat and Treatment (ET3) model on February 14, 2019, and the model will cut down on inappropriate emergency department transports by allowing EMS agencies to use innovative strategies such as telemedicine and treatment on scene to address low-acuity 911 calls.

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