CARE Act of 2025

This bill requires the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to implement and test a new model under the Medicare program. Named the Comprehensive Alternative Response for Emergencies (CARE) Model , this initiative aims to expand the types of emergency responses covered by Medicare. The CARE Model will enable Medicare Part B payments for ground ambulance services that respond to emergency medical calls but do not ultimately transport the individual. Payments for these services will generally align with what would have been paid had a transport occurred, and the model will also treat the individual's location as an originating site for associated telehealth services. This model is mandated to begin within two years of the bill's enactment and will operate for a period of five years. Additionally, the legislation requires the Comptroller General to submit a report four years after the model's implementation. This report will analyze the CARE Model's impact on Medicare beneficiaries' access to emergency medical services, evaluate outcomes, and compare them to traditional emergency transportation. It will also assess regional variations, identify best practices and challenges, and provide recommendations for improving emergency medical services.