Rep. Ruiz Co-Sponsors the Emergency Care Improvement Act (H.R. 1694)

NAFEC is excited to announce that Rep Raul Ruiz (D-CA) has signed on as co-sponsor of H.R. 1694, the Emergency Care Improvement Act, a bill that will allow FECs the ability to gain ongoing Medicare certification. Congressman Ruiz is an emergency room physician and Senior Democratic Member on the House Energy & Commerce Committee, which is a key committee of jurisdiction over healthcare. His support for the bill comes as a direct result of NAFEC’s advocacy efforts and demonstrates a growing awareness of the value FECs bring to the healthcare ecosystem. NAFEC will continue to work with Congress to garner more bipartisan co-sponsors for ultimate passage of this important piece of legislation.

NAFEC President Rob Morris commended the additional of Rep. Ruiz on the bill:

“We are proud that a fellow ER professional recognizes the importance of FECs and the value that they provide to patients. Granting permanent Medicare recognition of these sites of care would improve patient access and strengthen the presence of emergency care in our communities. The Emergency Care Improvement act is a bipartisan piece of legislation that has the potential to save and improve the lives of many.”

Background on the Legislation:

• FECs are fully licensed emergency departments that are staffed by both Emergency Medicine trained physicians and registered nurses who are on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week and possess licensed pharmacies, clinical labs, and advanced imaging services. FECs are state-licensed and adhere to the same standards and provide the same level of care as hospital-based emergency rooms, including the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) regulations on treating all patients.

• To expand provider capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a waiver in April 2020 to allow FECs to enroll as Medicare-certified hospitals and receive Medicare reimbursement for the duration of the Public Health Emergency.

• Over 110 FECs, mostly located in Texas, enrolled in Medicare and provided high-quality emergency care to thousands of Medicare beneficiaries at a significant savings to the Medicare program. An actuarial study of Medicare claims data found that FECs saved Medicare 21.8% in lower payments for treating emergency patients of similar acuity compared to hospital emergency departments and did not increase overall utilization of emergency care services.