Amends TCA Title 5; Title 7; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

Present law designates ambulance service as an essential service in this state. All county and municipal governing bodies are authorized to make provisions for ambulance service within their boundaries. This bill adds to the present law by providing that an ambulance service that has exclusive rights to provide emergency ambulance services within a county, municipality, or geographic area must adhere to the following: (1) Such service must not charge rates that are unreasonable, excessive, or based on rates charged by insurance carriers or other entities that classify individuals as in-network or out-of-network for emergency services provided pursuant to a call received by a 911 or emergency dispatch center operated by such county, municipality, or geographical area that has given the exclusive rights to the ambulance service; (2) Such service may charge varying rates based on the level of services provided pursuant to a call received by a 911 or emergency dispatch center operated by such county, municipality, or geographical area that has given the exclusive rights to the ambulance service; and (3) Such service may negotiate rates with insurance carriers or other entities for services that are not provided as a result of a call received by a 911 or emergency dispatch center and are in the normal course of business for the ambulance service.