WASHINGTON – Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin last night received the Congressional Leadership Award for 2001 from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) for introducing The Access to Emergency Medical Services Act..

On presenting the award, Rep. Cardin was recognized for his "outstanding contributions and Congressional leadership" in introducing legislation that would require health insurers to pay for emergency treatment and stabilization care based on the patient's symptoms rather than the final diagnosis. It would establish a "prudent layperson" definition of emergency as the standard for insurance coverage for emergency services by all health insurers.

The Congressman originally introduced The Access to Emergency Medical Services Act in 1995, since then it has become the standard for Medicare, Medicaid, federal employees, military and veteran health care plans. This year, the measure has been incorporated into The Bipartisan Patient Protection Act, HR 526.