Alabama SB269 - Ground Ambulance Balance Billing Prohibition
Summary
Alabama enacted Senate Bill 269 prohibiting ground ambulance balance billing and establishing minimum reimbursement rates that health insurers must pay to emergency medical service providers. The legislation sponsored by Senator Bobby Singleton passed with strong bipartisan support, clearing the House 101-0 and the Senate 25-2. The bill affects health insurance companies operating in Alabama and EMS providers serving patients with commercial insurance coverage.
What changed
Alabama enacted SB269, which prohibits balance billing by ground ambulance service providers for patients with commercial health insurance, a practice where patients are billed for the difference between provider charges and insurer payments. The law also establishes minimum reimbursement rates that health insurers must pay to emergency medical service providers for emergency ground ambulance services. Health insurers operating in Alabama must now ensure their reimbursement policies for ground ambulance services meet the mandated minimum rates. Emergency medical service providers will benefit from guaranteed minimum payments, reducing disputes over out-of-network claims and improving revenue stability.
What to do next
- Health insurers should review and update reimbursement policies to comply with new minimum rates for ground ambulance services
- EMS providers should understand their rights to receive minimum reimbursement from health insurers
- Monitor for additional implementing regulations or guidance from Alabama insurance regulators
Source document (simplified)
ChangeBridge / Alabama / SB269 Enacted SB269 Senate Bill Enacted 2026-04-06
Ground ambulance services; to prohibit balance billing and set minimum reimbursement rates by health care insurers to emergency medical service providers
Bill Details
State Alabama
Session 2026 Regular Session
Chamber Senate
Official Source alison.legislature.state.al.us/bill-search
LegiScan View on LegiScan
Sponsors
Bobby Singleton (Sen - D)
Action History
2026-04-06 S Enacted 2026-04-06 S Enacted 2026-03-31 S Delivered to Governor 2026-03-31 H Signature Requested 2026-03-31 S Enrolled 2026-03-31 S Ready to Enroll 2026-03-31 H Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1066 2026-03-31 H Third Reading in Second House 2026-03-17 H Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar 2026-03-17 H Reported Out of Committee Second House 2026-03-05 H Pending House Insurance 2026-03-05 H Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Insurance 2026-03-03 S Engrossed 2026-03-03 S Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 683 2026-03-03 S Singleton motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 682 XD1P9Z7-1 2026-03-03 S Banking and Insurance 1st Substitute Offered XD1P9Z7-1 2026-03-03 S Third Reading in House of Origin 2026-02-26 S Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar 2026-02-26 S Reported Out of Committee House of Origin 2026-02-26 S Banking and Insurance 1st Substitute XD1P9Z7-1 2026-02-05 S Pending Senate Banking and Insurance 2026-02-05 S Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance
Votes
2026-03-03 SBIR: Passed by House of Origin Yea: 25 Nay: 2 2026-03-03 Third Reading in House of Origin Yea: 25 Nay: 2 2026-03-03 Singleton motion to Adopt - Roll Call 682 XD1P9Z7-1 Yea: 25 Nay: 1 2026-03-03 Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Roll Call 683 Yea: 26 Nay: 2 2026-03-31 HBIR: Passed by Second House Yea: 101 Nay: 0 2026-03-31 Third Reading in Second House Yea: 101 Nay: 0 2026-03-31 Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Roll Call 1033 Yea: 91 Nay: 3 2026-03-31 HBIR: Passed by Second House Yea: 102 Nay: 0 2026-03-31 Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Roll Call 1066 Yea: 103 Nay: 0
Committee Referrals
2026-02-05 S Banking and Insurance 2026-03-05 H Insurance
Amendments
2026-02-26 Senate Banking and Insurance Banking and Insurance 1st Substitute
Bill Text Versions
2026-02-05 Introduced 2026-03-03 Engrossed 2026-03-31 Enrolled
Subjects
Insurance Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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