Washington, D.C. — Defend Forgotten America (DFA) today applauded Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) and his bipartisan colleagues for introducing the Reimbursing Emergency Services for Critical Urgent Encounters (RESCUE) Act. This legislation will modernize Medicare’s ambulance reimbursement system and help ensure that emergency medical services remain available in rural and small urban communities nationwide.
For more than two decades, Medicare’s ambulance fee schedule has relied on outdated cost data, leaving providers to absorb rising expenses for fuel, equipment, vehicles, and staffing. The RESCUE Act would require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to update ambulance reimbursement rates every 3 years using current cost data. This will help ensure providers are reimbursed for the actual cost of delivering lifesaving emergency care.
“Families across the country deserve to know that when they call 911, help will be there,” said Jenn Pellegrino, Founder and CEO of Defend Forgotten America. “For too long, outdated Medicare reimbursement rates have placed unnecessary financial strain on ambulance providers, threatening access to emergency care in communities that can least afford to lose it. We applaud Congressman Pfluger and his colleagues for introducing the RESCUE Act and taking an important step toward protecting lifesaving emergency services for Americans across rural and small urban America.”
DFA has consistently advocated for policies that strengthen the healthcare infrastructure of rural and small urban communities and protect access to care in underserved areas. Earlier this year, DFA released its report, “How Texas Has Become a National Model for Medicaid Transparency, Fiscal Responsibility, and Protecting Taxpayers,” highlighting how Texas has paired fiscal responsibility with innovative healthcare policies that support providers while protecting taxpayers. The RESCUE Act builds on those efforts by helping ensure ambulance services have the resources they need to continue delivering lifesaving care to the communities that depend on them.
About Defend Forgotten America (DFA): Defend Forgotten America was founded by former America First Policy Institute spokesperson Jenn Pellegrino to ensure that federal bureaucrats and D.C. insiders hear from the heartland. Our mission is to give working Americans a voice—to ensure that their needs and stories make their way to Washington. We believe DC health policies should reflect community needs and realities for those in rural and small urban America, supporting fiscal innovation and creative solutions that protect rural and small urban communities and help them thrive.
