Coloring Between the Lines—Self-Auditing The Basics Remember those days in grade school when you were so worried about coloring between the lines? Staying in compliance with the many ambulance service billing rules and regulations is a lot like that. We all have to “color between the lines.” One of the best ways to get it […]
Preparing for Dialysis Transport Payment Reductions Last Week In our last blog we provided information regarding the announced 10% payment reduction that is being put in place by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on all BLS Non-Emergency transports to and from dialysis treatments for patients diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). […]
Payment Reductions Loom for Dialysis Transports Section 637 Remember “Section 637.” This is the section of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 that will require the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reduce Medicare payments for BLS Non-Emergency ambulance transports nationwide by 10% beginning on October 1, 2013. Non-Emergency, Basic Life Support […]
Uncovering Medicaid—The Other Entitlement Not Just Medicare For as long as we’ve been around the ambulance billing scene, everyone has hung on every word that comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) pertaining to Medicare. But note the name of the agency . . . it not only contains the word “Medicare” […]
American Ambulance Industry Cost Drivers Reported The Other Side of the Equation While this blog typically focuses on incoming revenue and everything ambulance billing, it certainly is a useful exercise to be aware of the costs that drive the American ambulance industry. Ultimately, costs determine our strategies for funding by whatever source in order to […]
Commitment, Education, Resources- 3 Keys to Embracing Technology in EMS Explosion! What a technology explosion we’ve witnessed over the past several years! Literally right before our eyes, that computer wonder that once took massive rooms full of moving parts and whirring discs shrunk to power in the palm of our hands. Anyone who’s been around […]
MedPAC- A.K.A. Grinch! The ambulance industry now has a Grinch! That Grinch, MedPAC, looks to snatch a Merry Christmas from the EMS industry thanks to recommendations handed up to Congress in November. MedPAC, short for the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission is the independent Congressional agency that advises Congress on issues affecting the Medicare program. The […]
PCS — Who Can Sign? Signature Focus In our last blog post we visited new rules surrounding repetitive transports and the execution of the Physicians Certification Statement (PCS). This post will primarily focus on how to insure the person signing is correct for the PCS you have obtained. Requirement… Remember Medicare requires that a PCS […]
PCS – Not a Prescription! “Never mimic the PCS . . .” If you’ve ever attended an Enhanced documentation class, you’ll probably remember hearing the caution “Never mimic the PCS in your narrative.” We’ve taught this for years. Now CMS is backing that statement up with their new final rule amending the regulations for schedule, […]
Avoid the Ambulance Industry’s “Fiscal Cliff” Call to Action! This week’s blog is a Call to Action!! Earlier this week Stephen Williamson, President of the American Ambulance Association, sent out a stern warning concerning the looming expiration of the temporary Medicare ambulance add-on bonus payments that can disappear when 2012 draws to a close. These […]
