Ambulance News & Announcements
Current Announcements
Calendar Year (CY) 2027 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Proposed Rule
CMS issued the CY 2027 PFS proposed rule that announces the proposed policy changes for Medicare payments under the PFS and other Medicare Part B payment policy issues including ambulance services:
- Ambulance Extender Provisions: Section 6203 of the Consolidated Appropriations, 2026 (Pub. L. 119-75, February 3, 2026) extended three existing add-on payments to the ambulance base and mileage rates under the Ambulance Fee Schedule for ground ambulance transports through December 31, 2027. Accordingly, CMS is proposing to revise our regulations at 42 CFR §414.610(c)(1)(ii) and 414.610(c)(5)(ii) in this proposed rule to align with existing law.
- Announcement: We expect to address the ongoing data collection requirements for the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System in the CY 2028 PFS rulemaking to include the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC)’s June 15, 2026, Report to the Congress’s findings: https://www.medpac.gov/document/june-2026-report-to-the-congress-medicare-and-the-health-care-delivery-system/.
- Geographic Delineations for Ambulance Payment: We are proposing to make use of the new OMB delineations as described in the July 21, 2023, OMB Bulletin No. 23-01 beginning in CY 2027, along with the geographic areas based on the most version of the Goldsmith Modification, the Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes, to more accurately identify urban and rural areas for AFS payment purposes, We are proposing to designate any census tracts falling at or above RUCA level 4.0 as rural areas for purposes of payment for ambulance services under the Ambulance Fee Schedule.
- The following tables are available in the CY 2027 PFS ZIP file:
CMS will accept comments on the proposed rule until September 14, 2026 and will respond to comments in a final rule.
Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS) Report Appendix Year 1-Year 4 Cohort Analysis (12/09/2025)
Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS) Updated Codebook Year 1-4 Cohort Analysis (12/09/2025)
View the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS) Updated Codebook Year 1-4 Cohort Analysis.
Past Announcements
CY 2026 Ambulance Inflation Factor
View the Calendar Year 2026 Ambulance Inflation Factor (PDF)
Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule
CMS issued the CY 2026 PFS final rule that announces the finalized policy changes for Medicare payments under the PFS and other Medicare Part B payment policy issues including ambulance services. Section 2203 of the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (Pub. L. 119-4, March 15, 2025) extended three existing add-on payments to the ambulance base and mileage rates under the Ambulance Fee Schedule for ground ambulance transports through September 30, 2025. Accordingly, CMS finalized the proposals to revise our regulations at 42 CFR §414.610(c)(1)(ii) and 414.610(c)(5)(ii) in this final rule to align with existing law.
Walkthrough of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS)
- Visit Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System for:
- Lists of ground ambulance organizations selected in Years 1–2 required to collect information starting in 2022 and report information starting in 2023
- Organizations selected in Years 3–4 required to collect information starting in 2023 and report information starting in 2024
- FAQs (PDF)
- Reporting Labor Information in the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS) YouTube Video – 09/18/2024
Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System
Effective January 1, 2020-2024, CMS selected ground ambulance providers and suppliers to participate in the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS). Get more Medicare GADCS information and resources.