Following Tester, Moran Efforts, VA Moves to Avoid Potential Reduction in Air and Ground Transportation Services in Rural America

Friday, September 6, 2024

(U.S. Senate) - Following sustained efforts from Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) to protect rural veterans' access to lifesaving emergency medical transportation services, the Department of Veterans Affairs is delaying a rule to change reimbursement rates for special mode transportation, including air and ground ambulances, until 2029. This delay will give VA more time to work with stakeholders and Congress to implement the rule in a way that would ensure access and availability of emergency transportation to veterans and civilians, especially in rural America.

"Emergency air and ground transportation services in Montana and rural America can be the difference between life and death," said Chairman Tester. "VA's rushed roll-out of its rate change for these services could have been the final straw for providers serving rural America, and I'm glad to see VA answering our call to fix this issue. VA still has a lot more work to do, and I'll continue pushing my VA Emergency Transportation Access Act to ensure VA gets this rule right for veterans and anyone who calls rural America home."

"While there is still significant work to do, I am pleased VA has decided to delay the implementation of a rule that would negatively affect veterans' ability to receive emergency transportation to lifesaving care," said Ranking Member Moran. "My colleagues and I recommended this delay to allow VA to establish sensible parameters when setting air ambulance reimbursement rates. It is critical that rural operators are able to offer their services to the VA and veterans are receiving lifesaving care when they need it most."

Despite significant opposition from Tester and Moran, transportation providers, and Veteran Service Organizations, VA's rule was initially set to go into effect in February 2024. Pushing back on this hasty timeline that would have had negative consequences for rural America, Tester and Moran successfully secured an amendment to the 2024 government funding bill to delay it from going into effect. VA initially responded to this pressure by delaying the effective date until February 2025.

Now, VA is committing to delaying the rule's effective date until February 2029, which would give the Department more time to work with providers to ensure the rule will not negatively impact their services and ability to serve veterans, especially those in rural and hard-to-reach areas. The previous implementation timeline of rate reductions could have had widespread negative consequences for rural America, resulting in emergency transportation providers potentially severely reducing services, closing bases, or even billing veterans for the remainder of their costs in order to shoulder the financial impacts of this change.

Since day one, Tester and Moran have led the bipartisan charge to push back on the Biden Administration's proposed rule change and to protect rural America's access to emergency medical transportation services. In September 2023, they introduced their bipartisan VA Emergency Transportation Access Act to bar VA from reducing rates of pay and reimbursement for special mode transportation providers, including ground and air ambulances, unless the Department meets certain requirements that ensure rate changes will not reduce veterans' access to this essential service. The Committee leaders also secured the bipartisan amendment in the 2024 government funding to prohibit VA from implementing this rule in fiscal year 2024.

Tester and Moran's efforts have been applauded by emergency medical service leaders from across the nation.

"On behalf of the Montana Ambulance Association, we thank Senators Tester and Moran for their work to protect ambulance services across Montana and rural America," said Don Whalen, President of the Montana Ambulance Association (MTAA). "Montana has many ambulance services that proudly transport veterans long distance, and this decision is critical to making sure VA can maintain a predictable and sustainable reimbursement structure going forward. It's important VA uses this time to prevent any potential reduction in services, and we will continue to rely on Senators Tester and Moran's advocacy to ensure this."

"Senators Tester and Moran have been unwavering in their work on behalf of Veterans and rural Americans, and it is due in no small part to their leadership that access to lifesaving services has been preserved," said JaeLynn Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Air Methods. "This important decision affirms the vital role emergency air medical services play in the health and safety of millions of Americans. We look forward to continuing our work with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Senator Tester, Senator Moran, and other congressional leaders to develop a long-term solution that ensures no one is left without the emergency care they need during a medical or mental health crisis."

"We are grateful to the VA for their decision to postpone implementation of its rule changing rates VA pays for Special Modes of Transportation until 2029. This delay will allow time for us to work together on a permanent solution while ensuring Veterans maintain access to this critical, life-saving emergency services," stated Ben Clayton, Chief Executive Officer of Life Flight Network. "This delay would not have happened without the efforts of Senators Tester and Moran, and we extend our sincerest thanks for their leadership and advocacy on this important issue. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with the Department of Veterans Affairs as we work toward our common goal of providing the highest standard of care to our nation's veterans."

https://www.veterans.senate.gov/2024/9/following-tester-moran-efforts-va-moves-to-avoid-potential-reduction-in-air-and-ground-transportation-services-in-rural-america