Padilla, Capito introduce bipartisan bill to improve emergency medical transportation in mountainous regions

On Thursday, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) introduced the bipartisan Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites, or PEAKS, Act to bolster emergency medical transportation services in mountainous areas.

The PEAKS Act would help critical access hospitals, or CAHs, in mountainous areas receive fair compensation for ambulatory services by modifying distance requirements for these hospitals to receive reimbursements.

California has 37 total CAHs, of which two-thirds are currently operating at a loss.

Both of Lake County’s hospitals, Sutter Lakeside and Adventist Health Clear Lake, are CAHs.

CAHs, designated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, are smaller rural hospitals that are located more than a 35-mile drive — or a 15-mile drive in mountainous terrain — from any other hospital or CAH; are in an area with only secondary roads available; or otherwise are designated by their state as a “necessary provider.”

Currently, CAHs in mountainous areas are not reimbursed for providing ambulatory services under the enhanced Medicare payment model if they do not meet the 35-mile distance requirement.

The PEAKS Act would expand reimbursements for these services if a CAH in mountainous terrain or in an area with only secondary roads is the only provider within 15 miles.

“Far too often, people in mountainous regions struggle to receive timely, affordable emergency care when they need it most,” said Sen. Padilla. “California’s 37 Critical Access Hospitals help fill critical coverage gaps by providing emergency medical services in these rural areas, yet with two thirds of them operating in the red, we need to act quickly to prevent more ambulance service closures. Our bipartisan PEAKS Act would make commonsense updates to help Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas get Medicare reimbursements for the emergency care they provide.”

“As residents of the Mountain State, we are proud of our beautiful peaks, however, we are also aware of the transportation challenges — especially for ambulances — that exist due to our mountainous topography. I’m proud to introduce the PEAKS Act to address this challenge and ensure even our most rural residents can depend on ambulance services, as well as ensure our critical access hospitals are able to provide the best care possible,” said Sen. Capito.

The PEAKS Act would also make certain that CAHs would not lose their designation if any new hospital is built within 15 miles.

The PEAKS Act is supported by the West Virginia Hospital Association, California Hospital Association, Arkansas Hospital Association, Hospital Association of Oregon, Utah Hospital Association, and Wyoming Hospital Association.