(1) On and after January 1, 2027, the state department shall reimburse:
(a) An ambulance service for ground transportation by an ambulance or other appropriately situated vehicle to a hospital or other destination as deemed appropriate by the ambulance service's medical director;
(b) An ambulance service for treatment on the scene of a medical emergency, which treatment does not result in ground transportation; and
(c) A qualified provider, an ambulance service, or an agency providing out-of-hospital services for evaluation by telemedicine of a person being treated by an ambulance service or an agency providing out-of-hospital services for the purpose of preventing the need to transport the person to a hospital. Telemedicine shall be billed using an office or other outpatient services rate and not using an emergency department rate. An ambulance service or an agency providing out-of-hospital services is not required to procure telemedicine for a covered person as a condition of payment.
(2) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) "Ambulance service" has the meaning set forth in section 25-3.5-103 (3).
(b) (I) "Out-of-hospital services" means furnishing any necessary goods and services outside of a hospital setting for the purpose of preventing, alleviating, curing, or healing human illness, a physical disability, a physical injury, or a substance use disorder while responding to an emergency or other health-care condition.
(II) "Out-of-hospital services" does not include prehospital setting transports.
Source: L. 2026: Entire section added, (HB 26-1069), ch. 303, p. 1736, § 4, effective June 2.