At EMS|MC, part of our responsibility is keeping your agency aware of federal developments that directly impact reimbursement, operations and the future of EMS care.
CMS has released the Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Ambulance Fee Schedule Public Use Files, outlining Medicare-allowed payment amounts for ambulance services and mileage.
The 2026 rates reflect a 2.0% inflation adjustment over 2025 and include the continuation of current ground ambulance add-on payments.
However, the temporary ambulance add-ons—2% urban, 3% rural, and 22.6% super-rural—are only authorized through January 30, 2026 under current law. If Congress does not act to extend them, these add-ons will expire, and CMS may be required to issue updated 2026 fee schedule files (Click here to find out your rates).
To identify rates specific to your service area, CMS requires use of a state-specific contract number. Once you have that contract number, you can locate the applicable payment rates within the CMS fee schedule files.
As always, the EMS|MC team is actively monitoring legislative developments and CMS guidance and will provide timely updates and strategic insight as more information becomes available.