{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://balint.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=653", "Rep. Balint Reintroduces Bicameral \u2018EMS ROCS\u2019 Act to Support EMS Providers in Rural Communities Bill Aligns Medicare Payments for EMS Providers with Community Needs, Ensures EMS Can Provide Essential Medical Care to Rural Communities", "2026-01-29", "2026", "2026-01", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Becca Balint", "B001318", "balint.house.gov", "balint", "https://balint.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "BURLINGTON, VT \u2013 U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), and U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today reintroduced the Emergency Medical Services Reimbursement for On-scene Care and Support (EMS ROCS) Act, bicameral legislation that would require the government to pay for vital EMS services provided to individuals on Medicare.\n\nCurrently, Medicare does not reimburse EMS providers unless the patient is transported to a hospital. However, EMS providers regularly deliver vital services on-scene when responding to 911 calls. In rural communities, the demand for EMS services for medical emergencies continues to increase\u2014especially for Medicare beneficiaries, who make up about 40% of patients treated by EMS.\n\n\u201cFor rural Americans, our EMS providers are often heroes that deliver lifesaving care on scene when hospitals are far away and minutes matter,\u201d said Rep. Balint. \u201cThey should be paid for that work regardless of whether it\u2019s provided at home or in the ambulance. The EMS ROCS Act is a crucial step towards fixing the 'no payment' loophole and preserving access to care for rural Vermonters.\u201d\n\n\u201cVermont\u2019s EMS providers deliver essential medical services in rural communities, and they deserve to be reimbursed for that work. That\u2019s why it only makes sense that our government should pay for vital EMS services, regardless of whether someone needs an ambulance ride to the hospital,\u201d said Senator Welch. \u201cWe need commonsense solutions modernize Medicare to ensure that EMS are paid for their lifesaving work\u2014our bill does just that.\u201d\n\n\u201cSimply put, EMS are the first responders to some of people\u2019s most difficult moments, and often are the difference between life and death,\u201d said Senator Sanders. \u201cWe must do everything we can to ensure they receive the support and resources they need and deserve, and that includes reimbursement for all the care they provide. Rural communities in Vermont and across the country depend on their essential services and this bill is a right step forward in helping EMS agencies get fairly compensated for these services \u2013 even when transportation to the hospital is not needed.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Rep. Balint, the legislation is cosponsored in the House by Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.-AL), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Andr\u00e9 Carson (IN-07), Terri Sewell (AL-07), and Summer Lee (PA-12).\n\nInflationary pressures, coupled with the increasing volume of services that are ineligible for reimbursement, pose a serious threat to EMS providers, particularly those serving rural and older communities. These challenges are forcing EMS providers to curtail service and, in some areas, shut down services entirely. In recent years, several EMS providers in rural Vermont have closed their doors due to mounting expenses, leaving local residents with fewer options for emergency services.\n\nThe EMS ROCS Act is endorsed by the American Ambulance Association, National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), National Rural Health Association, and the Vermont Ambulance Association.\n\n\u201cThe National Rural Health Association applauds Congresswoman Balint and Senator Welch for introducing the EMS ROCS Act. Rural EMS providers face unique challenges due to higher fixed costs over a lower volume of services, greater distances for responding to calls, and workforce shortages. Additionally, Medicare under-reimburses for rural transports by 89%. NRHA is proud to have bicameral support for legislation that improves challenges in Medicare reimbursement for rural EMS, which will expand access to emergency services and improve healthcare in rural areas,\u201d said Alan Morgan, CEO, National Rural Health Association.\n\n\u201cWith his reintroduction of the EMS ROCs Act, Senator Welch demonstrates yet again his profound support for the quality medical care our paramedics and EMTs deliver every day to Vermonters. By ensuring that ambulance service organizations are reimbursed for on-scene medical treatment, regardless of patient transport, this legislation aligns policy with the advancements in pre-hospital medical care,\u201d said Drew Hazelton, President, Vermont Ambulance Association.\n\nLearn more about the EMS ROCS Act of 2026 here.\n\nRead and download the full text of the bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T21:01:44Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://balint.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=653"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 3.8402583450078964, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}