Senators Release Draft Balanced Billing Legislation

On Tuesday, September 18, 2018 Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tom Carper (D-DE), Todd Young (R-IN), and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) released draft legislation that aims to protect patients from surprise medical bills. The discussion draft (view the entire draft) of this proposed legislation tackles three main aspects of...

Preliminary Calculation of 2019 Ambulance Inflation Update

Section 1834(l)(3)(B) of the Social Security Act mandates that the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule be updated each year to reflect inflation.  This update is referred to as the “Ambulance Inflation Factor” or “AIF”. The AIF is calculated by measuring the increase in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) for the 12-month period...

LifeWorks October Feature: Work-Life Balance and Productivity

October Feature: Work-Life Balance and Productivity Ten Tips for Fitting Work and Life Together Would you like to move beyond feeling stressed or overwhelmed by your personal and work responsibilities? Or learn how to achieve personal and professional success on your own terms? “Knowing how to manage the way work and life fit together is a...

Narberth Ambulance Overcomes Major Hurdles In Its Billing System

Pennsylvania EMS Provider Achieves Major Billing Milestones Through Payor Logic Partnership and ESO Integration The Volunteer Medical Service Corps of Narberth was established in 1944 by residents of Narberth Borough, a suburb of Philadelphia, to provide transportation and first aid for soldiers returning from World War II via Philadelphia’s ports. The organization, now known as...

2018 AAA Board of Directors Election Results

The winners of the 2018 AAA Board of Directors election are listed below. Please join us in thanking all candidates for their service to the American Ambulance Association. President-Elect (2020) Shawn Baird Co-Owner Woodburn Ambulance Service, Inc. Woodburn, OR   Treasurer (2020) Julie Rose CEO/Executive Director; Board Secretary/Treasurer Community Care Ambulance Ashtabula, OH   Secretary (2020) Randy Strozyk Executive Vice President American Medical Response Seattle, WA   Director (2020) Mike...

IRS Proposed Rule on 199A Passthrough Deduction

The 199A passthrough business deduction was created under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was signed into law on December 22, 2017. The creation of the 199A section within this legislation has since created many questions and needed clarifications. On August 8, 2018, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued proposed regulations that provide guidance...

CMS Announces Revisions to Provider Enrollment Waiver Demonstration (PEWD) Program

CMS Announces Revisions to Provider Enrollment Moratoria Access Waiver Demonstration (PEWD) Program On August 20, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a notice in the Federal Register that it would be revising the terms of its Provider Enrollment Moratoria Access Waiver Demonstration (PEWD) Program. These revisions became effective on August 20, 2018. Section 6401(a)...

Government Affairs Update

Government Affairs Update: What We're Working On The AAA continues to press policy initiatives with Congress and the Administration that are important to our members. While not as high-profile as our successful efforts earlier this year on the five-year extension of the Medicare ambulance add-ons, the AAA is working hard on ambulance legislation and regulations...

Man Saved By An EMT Becomes One

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zQTPUrrYWg&feature=player_embedded 15 years ago NorthStar EMS Paramedic, Jason Norris, saved the life of 10-year-old Tyler Smith. Last week, he presented Tyler with his paramedic certificate. A great story of how one's actions can impact someone's life. Watch on YouTube

2018 AMBY Award Winners Announced

The American Ambulance Association is proud to announce the recipients of the 2018 AMBY Awards. The AMBYs highlight excellence in EMS and the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit that epitomize AAA members. The mission of the awards is to showcase creativity and innovation in the ambulance industry by fostering a culture of collaboration, cooperation and...

2018 AAA Award Winners Announced

The American Ambulance Association is proud to announce this year’s award winners. Awards will be presented at the AAA Annual Conference & Trade Show Membership Meeting on Friday, September 7, 2018. Please join us in congratulating this year’s winners! J. Walter Schaeffer Award Dale Berry The J. Walter Schaeffer Award is given annually to an individual whose work in...

Talking Medicare: DOJ Settlement Highlights Importance of Exclusion Testing

Talking Medicare: Recent DOJ Settlement Highlights Importance of Exclusion Testing On July 17, 2018, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine issued a press release on a settlement that had been reached with an ambulance service in Maine. As a result of this settlement, the ambulance service agreed to pay $16,776.74 to resolve allegations...

CMS Extends Moratorium on Non-Emergency Ground Services

CMS Extends Temporary Moratorium on Non-Emergency Ground Ambulance Services in New Jersey and Pennsylvania The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that it intends to extend the temporary moratoria on the enrollment of new Medicare Part B non-emergency ground ambulance providers and suppliers in the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  The...

Notice of Proposed Change to OSHA Injury Reporting

Notice of Proposed Change to OSHA Electronic Injury Reporting Regulations The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced on July 27, 2018 that it has published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would change the Electronic Injury Reporting Regulations (29 CFR Part 1904) for employers with 250 or more employees. OSHA is proposing this...

Sharing Patient Stories

https://www.facebook.com/americanambulanceassoc/videos/10156688342535962/   EMTs, Paramedics, and Dispatchers touch lives every day. However, ambulance services aren't always sure how best to showcase their value. Learn how Robert Lawrence of PatientCare Logistics Solutions - Alameda Co. and Matt Zavadsky of MedStar Mobile Healthcare share their teams' impact with patient stories. #SupportEMS