Brian

2018 National and State-Specific Medicare Data

Posted on by Brian Werfel

The American Ambulance Association is pleased to announce the publication of its 2018 Medicare Payment Data Report. This report is based on the “Early Edition” of the 2018 Part B National Summary Data File (previously known as the Bess Report). The report consists of an overview of total Medicare spending nationwide, and then a separate breakdown of Medicare spending in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the various other U.S. Territories. For each jurisdiction, the report contains two charts: the first reflects data for all ambulance services, with the second limited to dialysis transports. Each chart is further broken down by HCPCS code. The charts provide information on the total number of allows services and the total Medicare payments for CYs 2017 and 2018. Percentage changes will allow members to view payment trends over the past year. Questions? Contact Brian Werfel at bwerfel@aol.com.  ...

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Summary of Final Rule on Ambulance Data Cost Collection

Posted on by AAA Staff

Summary of Final Rule on Ambulance Data Cost Collection The American Ambulance Association (AAA) has completed its review and summary of the Final Rule on the Establishment of an Ambulance Data Collection System drafted by Kathy Lester, Esq. To access the summary of the Final Rule, please click here. The Final Rule is scheduled to be published in the November 15 issue of the Federal Register. The AAA will continue to keep you informed about the implementation of the Ambulance Data Collection System....

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CMS Posts Final Ambulance Data Collection Instrument

Posted on by AAA Staff

CMS Posts Final Ambulance Data Collection Instrument The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted the final version of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection Instrument. The Instrument is the guidance and mechanism by which CMS will request data from those ambulance service suppliers and providers selected in year one of the sampling. The posting of the final version of the Instrument follows the release on November 1 of the final rule on the development of an ambulance data collection system and subsequent release on November 2 of the list of the ambulance service suppliers and providers selected in year one to provide their data. To access the list by NPI number click here and to access the list by state click here. The AAA will keep you posted of new developments with the implementation of the data collection system as well as educational opportunities.

Tristan

CMS Releases List of Ambulance Organizations Selected for Data Collection

Posted on by Tristan North

CMS Releases List of Ambulance Organizations Selected for Data Collection The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the list of ambulance service providers and suppliers selected to provide data in the first year of data collection. CMS has published the data by National Provider Identifier (NPI) number and the AAA has also sorted the data by state in alphabetical order. On Friday, CMS had made public the final rule on the Establishment of an Ambulance Data Collection System. The AAA will be issuing a Member Advisory tomorrow on the details of the final rule and changes from the proposed rule. To access the list by NPI number click here and to access the list by state click here.

CMS Releases Final Rule on Ambulance Data Collection System

Posted on by AAA Staff

Late this afternoon, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rule on the “Establishment of an Ambulance Data Collection System”. The rule was issued as part of the “Medicare Program; CY 2020 Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment Policies” [CMS-1715-F and IFC]. The final rule is scheduled for official publication in the November 15 issue of the Federal Register. The AAA is currently reviewing the final rule to determine changes on the ambulance data collection system from the policies as outlined in the proposed rule of August 15. The proposed rule set forth a system utilizing a survey tool and sampling of ambulance service providers and suppliers as directed by Congress and supported by the AAA. The AAA did, however, submit comments with suggestions as how to fine-tune the process and tool. The AAA also submitted a second letter on the section of the proposal rule making changes related to the physician certification statement (PCS). We will be issuing a follow up Member Advisory next week with the specific final policy changes on the ambulance data collection system and PCS outlined in the final rule.

CMS Open Door Forum & Member Q&A – November 7th

Posted on by AAA Staff

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has scheduled its next Ambulance Open Door Forum for Thursday, November 7 from 2:00-3:30 PM Eastern. If you plan to attend, please dial in at least 15 minutes before the call. CMS Ambulance Open Door Forum November 7 | 2:00 PM ET Participant Dial-In Number:  1-888-455-1397 Conference ID #: 4676500 Questions? Have more questions? The AAA is here to help! Following the ODF the AAA will be publishing a follow up blog post going over any updates and important announcements. AAA Follow Up Q&A November 7 | 4:00 PM ET 1-800-250-2600 Pin: 82802314# Speakers: AAA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Tristan North; AAA Healthcare Lobbyist, Kathy Lester, Esq.

Brian

CMS Announces 2020 Ambulance Inflation Factor

Posted on by Brian Werfel

On October 4, 2019, CMS issued Transmittal 4407 (Change Request 11497), which announced the Medicare Ambulance Inflation Factor (AIF) for calendar year 2020. The AIF is calculated by measuring the increase in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) for the 12-month period ending with June of the previous year. Starting in calendar year 2011, the change in the CPI-U is now reduced by a so-called “productivity adjustment”, which is equal to the 10-year moving average of changes in the economy-wide private nonfarm business multi-factor productivity index (MFP). The MFP reduction may result in a negative AIF for any calendar year. The resulting AIF is then added to the conversion factor used to calculate Medicare payments under the Ambulance Fee Schedule. For the 12-month period ending in June 2018, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has calculated that the CPI-U has increased 1.6%. CMS further indicated that the CY 2020 MFP will be 0.7%. Accordingly, CMS indicated that the Ambulance Inflation Factor for calendar year 2019 will be 0.9%....

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Brian

CMS Announces Comment Period for National Expansion of Prior Authorization Process

Posted on by Brian Werfel

On October 29, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) posted a notice in the Federal Register announcing an opportunity for the public to provide comments on the proposed national expansion of the prior authorization process for repetitive, scheduled non-emergent ground ambulance transportation.  CMS refers to this process as its “RSNAT Prior Authorization Model.”  The CMS Notice can be viewed in its entirety at: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-10-29/pdf/2019-23584.pdf. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, and to allow 60 days for the public to comment on the proposed action.  Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments regarding the agency’s burden estimates and other aspects of the proposed collection of information, including the necessity and utility of the proposed information for the proper performance of the agency’s functions, and ways in which the collection of such information can be enhanced. In this instance, CMS is indicating that it is pursuing approval to potentially expand the existing RSNAT Prior Authorization Model nationwide.  Currently, the RSNAT Prior Authorization Model is in place in 8 states (DE, MD, NJ, NC, PA, SC, VA, and WV) and the...

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