Emergency Care Improvement Act

HR 3134, the Emergency Care Improvement Act, allows Medicare and Medicaid to reimburse freestanding emergency centers (FECs) for specific emergency services. The bill defines FECs as 24/7 facilities meeting state emergency care standards, with physician staffing, hospital referral agreements, and quality programs - currently operating in over 118 locations, primarily in Texas. It amends coverage rules to include FECs under Medicare Part B and Medicaid for "specified emergency services" (excluding certain evaluation codes), sets payment rates based on outpatient department standards, and extends EMTALA emergency care laws to cover these centers. This policy change directly affects FECs and Medicare/Medicaid beneficiaries by enabling reimbursement for emergency care previously excluded from coverage.