FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

HHS - 84635 - Advisory Committee on Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing - Statutory (Congress Created)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Advisory Committee on Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing	Agency Name	Department of Health and Human Services
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	84635
Original Establishment Date	11/16/2021	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	https://www.cms.gov/regulations-guidance/adviso...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	10+
Terminated This FY		Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	DFO
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix
Current Charter Date	11/16/2023	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Shaheen
Date Of Renewal Charter	11/16/2025	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Projected Termination Date	9/30/2024	Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Halim
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(410) 786-0641
Establishment Authority*	Statutory (Congress Created)	Designated Federal Officer Fax*
Specific Establishment Authority*	Section 117 of the No Surprises Act, enacted in div. BB, tit. I of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, P.L. 116-260	Designated Federal Officer Email*	shaheen.halim@cms.hhs.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	12/27/2020
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Other Committee

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Enacted
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The 3rd public meeting of the GAPB Advisory Committee held October 31 and November 1, 2024 included voting on Recommendations for inclusion in its Report. Following the 3rd public meeting, the Committee drafted, reviewed and revised the Report during administrative meetings, and completed its Report in April 2024. In September 2024, the Committee's Report was delivered to the Secretaries of HHS, Labor and the Treasury as required by Section 117 of the No Surprises Act. The Report was also delivered to relevant Congressional Committees and the Library of Congress. The delivery of the the Committee's Report and completed the statutorily defined purpose of the GAPB Advisory Committee. This report is available on the GAPB Committee's website hosted on CMS.gov. This Committee is now inactive.
How is membership balanced?*	A. The 17 Members were selected by from a pool of 52 nominees obtained through a solicitation strategy employing the HHS’ press office, CMS’ Ambulance Open Door Forum listserv, and the Department of Transportation Emergency Medical Services listserv to broadly reach potential candidates representing diverse perspectives in the industry. Members were selected based on alignment with the membership categories required under Section 117 of the No Surprises Act, their professional qualifications, recognition by the ground ambulance and emergency medical services community, years of relevant experience, experience with State or Federal committees on related issues, and expertise in subject matter to be addressed by the committee. Consideration was given to factors in the membership balance plan, which included the ability to address health equity issues pertaining to ground ambulance consumer balance billing, and ground ambulance services in underserved communities.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The committee meeting are held up to 3 times annually.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The Advisory Committee was authorized specifically for this scope and purpose. There are no other Federal Advisory Committees for this scope and purpose.
Why close or partially close meetings?	Meetings are to be open to the public, except as determined otherwise by the Secretaries or other officials to whom the authority has been delegated in accordance with the Government in the Sunshine Act (5 U.S.C. 552b(c)) and section 10(d) of the FACA.
Recommendation Remarks	This Committee is now inactive. During the 3rd public meeting of the Committee (held October 31 and November 1 of 2023) at which the Committee voted on its Recommendations to the Secretaries. the Committee completed its Report in April 2024. In September 2024, the Committee's Report was delivered to the Secretaries of HHS, Labor and the Treasury as required by Section 117 of the No Surprises Act. The Report was also delivered to relevant Congressional Committees and the Library of Congress. The delivery of the the Committee's Report fulfills the statutorily defined purpose of the GAPB Advisory Committee. This report is available on the GAPB Committee's website hosted on CMS.gov.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	Yes	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	No	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment	The GAPB Committee must issue a report to the Secretaries of the Departments of HHS, Labor, and Treasury with options to prevent consumer balance billing for ground ambulance services, including legislative and enforcement options.
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	Yes	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	The GAPB Committee must issue a report to the Secretaries of the Departments of HHS, Labor, and Treasury with options to prevent consumer balance billing for ground ambulance services, including legislative and enforcement options.	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	None	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	N/A	Grants Review Comment	N/A
Number Of Recommendations*	21	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	The GAPB Committee must issue a report to the Secretaries of the Departments of HHS, Labor, and Treasury that will include all or some of the recommendations received thus far.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	0.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	The Committee is Tasked with issuing recommendations, not implementing them. There is no required action for the Secretaries with respect to the recommendations.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	0.00%	Access Publications	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	The Committee is Tasked with issuing recommendations, not implementing them. There is no required action for the Secretaries with respect to the recommendations.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Not Applicable	Access Comment	N/A
Agency Feedback Comment*	The public can find information on the committee website: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-ground-ambulance-and-patient-billing-gapb	Narrative Description*	The No Surprises Act required the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury (the Secretaries) to establish and convene an advisory committee for the purpose of: 1) reviewing options to improve the disclosure of charges and fees for ground ambulance services, 2) better informing consumers of insurance options for such services, and 3) protecting consumers from balance billing under enforcement authorities of the three Departments and State authorities, and 3) the prevention of balance billing to consumers. During 2023, the Committee held 3 public meetings, and solicited public comment on 14 key areas under its statutorily defined scope. The public comment and discussion during public meetings informed the 21 recommendations that were ultimately adopted by the Committee and which will be contained in its Report to the Secretaries. This Report will inform and provide feedback to the 3 Departments on how to better inform consumers on ground ambulance charges, fees and insurance options, and protecting consumers from balance billing for ground ambulance services.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*		1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*
2. Payments to Federal Members*		2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*
3. Payments to Federal Staff*		3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*
4. Payments to Consultants*		4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*		5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*		6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*		7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*		8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*
10. Other Costs		10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*
11. Total Costs	$0.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified	3/14/2025 10:02 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*		Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

Category Area Health Health Care Public Health

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