SW Wisconsin News

A new bill authored by State Rep. Tony Kurtz in the Wisconsin Assembly seeks to revise reimbursement policies for ambulance services and enhance reporting on emergency medical personnel training, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "reimbursement of emergency services under the Medical Assistance program when a patient is not transported, reporting on changes to the scope of practice of emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners, and eligibility for the expenditure restraint incentive program. (FE)".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates changes to the Medical Assistance program regarding reimbursement for ambulance services that do not transport patients. Effective Jan. 1, 2027, it requires the Department of Health Services to adjust the reimbursement for such services, identified under HCPCS code A0998, to align with the rates for basic life support emergency transport services, code A0429. Additionally, the bill obligates the Emergency Medical Services Board to submit an annual report detailing changes in the scope of practice for emergency medical personnel and their impact on training. The bill also stipulates that certain municipal expenditures related to emergency services are exempt from consideration when determining eligibility for the expenditure restraint incentive program.

The bill was co-authored by Senator Howard L. Marklein (Republican-17th District), Representative Deb Andraca (Democrat-23rd District), Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), Representative Bob G. Donovan (Republican-61st District), Representative Cindi Duchow (Republican-97th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin (Democrat-8th District), Senator Jesse L. James (Republican-23rd District), and Senator Brad Pfaff (Democrat-32nd District), along 22 other co-sponsors.

Tony Kurtz has authored or co-authored another 15 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Kurtz graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1989 with a BS.

Kurtz, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 41st Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Alex Dallman.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
AB199	04/15/2025	Reimbursement of emergency services under the Medical Assistance program when a patient is not transported, reporting on changes to the scope of practice of emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners, and eligibility for the expenditure restraint incentive program. (FE)
AB198	04/15/2025	Emergency medical services education, tuition and materials reimbursement for emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners, and a live 911 pilot program. (FE)
AB197	04/15/2025	A levy limit exemption for regional emergency medical systems and eligibility for the expenditure restraint incentive program. (FE)
AB155	04/02/2025	Designating the Tom Diehl Memorial Highway. (FE)
AB137	03/13/2025	Maximum life and allocation period for Tax Incremental District Number 9 in the village of DeForest and the total value of taxable property that may be included in tax incremental financing districts created in the village of DeForest. (FE)
AB22	02/06/2025	Limitations on the total value of taxable property that may be included in, and the lifespan of, a tax incremental financing district created in the city of Middleton. (FE)