Medicare Update for Ambulance Services Webcast
March 4, 2015
Zip Code Delay Comment Letter
On December 30, 2014, AAA submitted a comment letter to CMS asking the Agency to delay implementation of the changes in zip codes losing their rural status starting in 2015. In its comment letter, the AAA based the one-year delay on the lack of proper notice of the changes in the geographical delineations of zip codes and the omission of a small entity impact certification in the proposed or final rules. In the proposed rule, CMS stated only 122 zip codes would lose rural status but in the final rule cited 3,038 zip codes switching from rural to urban. The AAA was able to get that number corrected to 1,599 zip codes but believes CMS still needs to delay implementation of the change for one-year to give ambulance service providers adequate time to determine and budget for the loss of revenue.
Comment Letter on Proposed Fee Schedule Changes
On August 29, 2014, the AAA sent a Proposed Rule Comment Letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the CY2015 Fee Schedule Changes. The AAA determined the recently published proposed rule on updates to the Medicare ambulance fee scheduled for CY 2015 likely significantly underestimated the number of zip codes that would change geographic area designation. In the proposed rule, CMS stated 120 zip codes would change from rural to urban and 100 zip codes would change from urban to rural. The AAA has estimated 1,524 zip codes would change from rural to urban and 449 zip codes would change from urban to rural.
CMS Proposed Rule on CY2015 Fee Schedule Changes
The AAA determined the recently published proposed rule on updates to the Medicare ambulance fee scheduled for CY 2015 likely significantly underestimated the number of zip codes that would change geographic area designation. In the proposed rule, CMS stated 120 zip codes would change from rural to urban and 100 zip codes would change from urban to rural. The AAA has estimated 1,524 zip codes would change from rural to urban and 449 zip codes would change from urban to rural.