Air Ambulance Billing Issues Appealed to US Supreme Court

The US Supreme Court  (SCOTUS) is being asked to review the pre-emption issue involving  air ambulance billing charges. A Petition for Certiorari was filed by PHI Air Medical, LLC following the denial of the Texas Supreme Court to honor the full air ambulance billing changes in a workers’ compensation claim.

Federal Preemption of State Medical Billing Schedules

Medical benefits are a significant factor in the overall costs of of most state workers compensation programs. The ability to contain  those costs is at the very heart of the viability of most workers’ compensation systems. Federal preemption of state medical fee schedules and regulations are a prevailing challenge to the patchwork of non-uniform state benefit programs.

NJ Senate Votes Approval to Stop Balance Billing for Workers Compensation Claims

The NJ Senate has joined the NJ Assembly in approving legislation to ban balance billing for workers' compensation claims and grants the the NJ Division of Workers' Compensation exclusive jurisdiction over medical bill disputes. The legislation was stripped on any requirement of mandatory arbitration of the disputes and does not yet implement a medical fee schedule.

A2652 Bans charging workers' compensation claimants for medical expenses, gives Division of Workers' Compensation sole jurisdiction over work-related medical claims.  Passed both Houses

Identical Bill Number: S1926 S2022 (SCS)  Eustace, Timothy J. as Primary Sponsor Singleton, Troy as Primary Sponsor Egan, Joseph V. as Primary Sponsor Benson, Daniel R. as Primary Sponsor Coughlin, Craig J. as Primary Sponsor Lampitt, Pamela R. as Co-Sponsor Mosquera, Gabriela M. as Co-Sponsor Greenstein, Linda R. as Co-Sponsor Madden, Fred H., Jr. as Co-Sponsor 5/10/2012 Introduced, Referred to Assembly Labor Committee 5/14/2012 Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading 5/24/2012 Passed by the Assembly (77-0-0) 5/31/2012 Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee 9/20/2012 Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading 10/4/2012 Substituted for S1926/2022 (SCS) 10/4/2012 Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (38-0) Introduced - 4 pages PDF Format HTML Format  Statement - ALA 5/14/12 - 1 pages PDF Format HTML Format  Statement - SLA 9/20/12 1R - 1 pages PDF Format HTML Format  Committee Voting: ALA 5/14/2012 - r/Aca - Yes {9} No {0} Not Voting {0} Abstains {0} - Roll Call SLA 9/20/2012 - r/favorably - Yes {5} No {0} Not Voting {0} Abstains {0} - Roll Call Session Voting: Asm. 5/24/2012 - 3RDG FINAL PASSAGE - Yes {77} No {0} Not Voting {3} Abstains {0} - Roll Call

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