Skip to main content

Tag: Ambulance Fee Schedule

Preliminary Calculation of 2025 Ambulance Inflation Update

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Regulatory.

The AAA is projecting that the 2025 Medicare Ambulance Inflation Factor will likely be 2.6%, plus or minus 0.1%.

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 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 2024, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has calculated that the CPI-U has increased by 3.0%.

CMS has yet to release its estimate for the MFP for calendar year 2024. Since its inception, this number has fluctuated between 0.3% and 1.2%. For calendar year 2024, the MFP was 0.4%.

Under normal circumstances, it would be reasonable to expect the 2025 MFP to be within a tenth of a percentage point or two of the 2024 MFP.

Accordingly, the AAA is projecting that the 2025 Ambulance Inflation Factor will likely be 2.6%, plus or minus 0.1%.

The AAA will notify members once CMS issues a transmittal setting forth the official 2025 Ambulance Inflation Factor.

CMS Posts 2023 Public Use File

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Medicare, Member Advisories, News.

On November 23, 2022, CMS posted the 2023 Ambulance Fee Schedule Public Use Files. These files contain the amounts that will be allowed by Medicare in the calendar year 2023 for the various levels of ambulance service and mileage. These allowable reflect an 8.7% inflation adjustment over the calendar 2022 rates. The 2023 Ambulance Fee Schedule Public Use File can be downloaded from the CMS website by clicking here.

Please note that these files reflect the Medicare allowable based on current federal law.  Accordingly, the 2023 Public Use Files do not include the current add-ons (i.e., 2% for urban, 3% for rural, and the super-rural bonus), as these add-ons are currently scheduled to expire on December 31, 2022.

The AAA is actively working with congressional offices to not only extend but hopefully increase, the Medicare ambulance add-ons by the end of the year. If you have not already written to your members of Congress about extending the add-ons at increased levels, please do so today by using the AAA online advocacy tool by clicking here.

Unfortunately, in recent years, CMS has elected to release its Public Use Files without state and payment locality headings. As a result, in order to look up the rates in your service area, you would need to know the CMS contract number assigned to your state. This is not something the typical ambulance service would necessarily have on hand. For this reason, the AAA will be publishing a reformatted version of the CMS Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule that includes the state and payment locality headings. The reformatted fee schedule will be available on the AAA website in the coming days.

The AAA will also be publishing an updated version of its Medicare Rate Calculator, which we expect to have available on our website once we have a better sense of the timing of the extension of the add-ons.

Preliminary Calculation of 2022 Ambulance Inflation Update

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Government Affairs.

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 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 2021, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has calculated that the CPI-U has increased by 5.39%.

CMS has yet to release its estimate for the MFP in calendar year 2022.  However, assuming CMS’ projections for the MFP are similar to last year’s projections, the number is likely to be in the 0.4% range.

Accordingly, the AAA is currently projecting that the 2022 Ambulance Inflation Factor will be approximately 5.0%. 

Cautionary Note Regarding these Estimates

Members should be advised that the BLS’ calculations of the CPI-U are preliminary, and may be subject to later adjustment.  The AAA further cautions members that CMS has not officially announced the MFP for CY 2022.  Therefore, it is possible that these numbers may change.  The AAA will notify members once CMS issues a transmittal setting forth the official 2022 Ambulance Inflation Factor.

CMS Releases CY 2021 Physician Fee Schedule

Written by Kathy Lester on . Posted in Employee Benefits, Employee Wellness, Human Resources, Professional Standards.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule for Calendar Year (CY) 2021 which has traditionally included proposed changes to the Ambulance Fee Schedule for the same year. The American Ambulance Association (AAA) has confirmed with CMS that the reason there are no references to the Ambulance Fee Schedule in the Proposed Rule is because the temporary add-ons were built into the regulations themselves.  Thus, the governing regulations already indicate that the temporary add-on payments for ground ambulance transports are effective for services furnished through December 31, 2022.  The regulations are at 42 CFR §414.610 (c)(1)(ii) and 42 CFR §414.610 (c)(5)(ii).

The Proposed Rule also seeks to extend or make permanent several of the telehealth waivers CMS has implemented during the public health emergency.  Because CMS does not believe it has the authority to reimburse ambulance providers or suppliers for services provided without transportation also occurring, these waivers have not applied to ground ambulance.  However, we will review these provisions of the rule closely to identify potential opportunities to include ground ambulance providers and suppliers in these policies.

CMS Posts 2020 Public Use File

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Government Affairs, Medicare, Member-Only.

On December 2, 2019, CMS posted the 2020 Ambulance Fee Schedule Public Use Files. These files contain the amounts that will be allowed by Medicare in calendar year 2020 for the various levels of ambulance service and mileage. These allowables reflect a 0.9% inflation adjustment over the 2018 rates.

The 2020 Ambulance Fee Schedule Public Use File can be downloaded from the CMS website by clicking here.

Unfortunately, CMS has elected in recent years to release its Public Use Files without state and payment locality headings. As a result, in order to look up the rates in your service area, you would need to know the CMS contract number assigned to your state. This is not something the typical ambulance service would necessarily have on hand. For this reason, the AAA has created a reformatted version of the CMS Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule, which includes the state and payment locality headings. AAA members can access this reformatted fee schedule at the link below.

2020 Ambulance Fee Schedule▶

 

CMS Announces 2020 Ambulance Inflation Factor

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Medicare, Member Advisories, Member-Only, News.

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%.

Preliminary Calculation of 2020 Ambulance Inflation Update

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Medicare, Member Advisories, Member-Only, News, Reimbursement.

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 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 2019, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has calculated that the CPI-U has increased by 1.65%.

CMS has yet to release its estimate for the MFP in calendar year 2020. However, assuming CMS’ projections for the MFP are similar to last year’s projections, the number is likely to be in the 0.6% range.

Accordingly, the AAA is currently projecting that the 2020 Ambulance Inflation Factor will be approximately 1.1%. 

Cautionary Note Regarding these Estimates

Members should be advised that the BLS’ calculations of the CPI-U are preliminary, and may be subject to later adjustment. The AAA further cautions members that CMS has not officially announced the MFP for CY 2020. Therefore, it is possible that these numbers may change. The AAA will notify members once CMS issues a transmittal setting forth the official 2020 Ambulance Inflation Factor.

CMMI Releases Preview of ET3 RFA

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in ET3, Member Advisories, Member-Only, News, Reimbursement.

On May 22, 2019, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) released a preview of the Request for Applications (RFAs). This documentation will be used by ambulance providers and suppliers to apply for inclusion as “Participants” in the Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) pilot program.

Webinar: Learn More About the RFA

June 13, 2019 | 2:00 PM Eastern
Speakers: Brian Werfel, Kathy Lester, Rebecca Williamson, Asbel Montes
$99 for Members | $198 for Non-Members

Register Now

Relevant Background

On February 14, 2019, CMMI announced the creation of a new 5-year pilot program designed to give participating EMS agencies greater flexibility to address the needs of Medicare beneficiaries following a 911 call. The ET3 model would create a new payment model under which participating EMS agencies will be eligible for Medicare reimbursement for: (1) transportation to alternative treatment destinations and (2) treatment at the scene. At the time, CMMI indicated that it anticipated starting the ET3 model in early 2020. To that end, CMMI anticipated soliciting Requests for Participation in the Summer of 2019.

Participation in this pilot program is voluntary. Regardless of whether an ambulance provider or supplier participates in the pilot program, payment for ambulance transportation currently covered under the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule will not be affected.

The RFA provides a good deal of additional information regarding the proposed operation of the ET3 Model. These additional details are summarized below.

Eligibility Criteria/Application Process

To be eligible to participate, you must be a Medicare-enrolled ambulance provider or supplier.  In addition, CMMI is limiting eligibility to ambulance providers and suppliers that are located in a state or state in which at least 15,000 Medicare FFS emergency ambulances took place in calendar year 2017.  Note: based on this restriction, ambulance providers and suppliers in the State of Alaska would not be eligible for participation in the ET3 Model.

Medical Necessity Requirement

CMMI previously indicated that the existing medical necessity requirements would apply to ambulance transportation to alternative treatment destinations. In the RFA, CMMI reiterated this requirement. As a result, EMS agencies will only be eligible for reimbursement for transportation to alternative treatment destinations to the extent the beneficiary’s condition is such that safe transport by other means is contraindicated.

CMMI indicated that beneficiaries that do not meet the medical necessity requirements for ambulance transportation may still meet the medical necessity requirements for a Medicare-covered item or service furnished by a qualified health care practitioner, and, therefore, may allow an EMS agency to receive payment for treatment at the scene under the ET3 Model.

Payments under the ET3 Model

The ET3 Model provides for a number of new payment streams.  The two payment streams being made available to participating EMS agencies are: (1) payment for transportation of Medicare beneficiaries to alternative treatment destinations and (2) payment for treatment of the Medicare beneficiary at the scene, where such care was rendered by a qualified health care practitioner either at the scene or via telehealth.

Payment for Transportation to Alternative Treatment Destinations

When the ET3 Model was first announced, CMS indicated that the reimbursement to EMS agencies for providing transportation to alternative treatment destinations would be based on the corresponding BLS “base rate” in the area. However, in the RFA, CMMI indicates that the payment for transportation to an alternative treatment destination will now be made at either the applicable BLS emergency or ALS emergency base rate.  In order to qualify for payment at the applicable ALS emergency rate, the EMS agency must meet Medicare’s definition of “Advanced Life Support” (i.e., the provision of valid ALS intervention and/or the provision of a qualifying ALS assessment).  The payment for this base rate would include the current adjustments for transports provided in urban, rural, or super-rural areas.

The EMS agency would also be eligible for payment for all loaded mileage, at the applicable Medicare mileage rate. This payment would include all current adjustments, including the “bonus” paid for the first 17 rural miles.

Note: CMMI indicated that it would be creating an exception to general Medicare requirement that patients be transported to the nearest appropriate facility. Based on the language in the RFA, it appears clear that CMMI would cover all of the mileage to an alternative treatment destination, even where transportation to the nearest hospital ED would have been shorter.

Based on the language in the RFA, it appears that claims for transportation to alternative treatment destinations will be submitted using the normal ambulance HCPCS codes (i.e., A0427 for an ALS emergency and A0429 for a BLS emergency).

Payment for Treatment at the Scene

When the EMS agency facilitates in-person treatment by a qualified health care practitioner (QHP), the EMS agency will be paid an amount equivalent to the BLS emergency or ALS emergency base rate.  In order to qualify for payment at the applicable ALS emergency rate, the EMS agency must provide medically necessary supplies and services and either a qualifying ALS assessment or the provision of at least one ALS intervention. When the EMS agency facilitates treatment in pace via telehealth, the EMS agency will be paid a modified “telehealth originating site facility fee” equivalent to the applicable BLS emergency or ALS emergency base rate.

Claims submitted for treatment at the scene, whether by the QHP in person or via telehealth, will be submitted using a model-specific code (yet to be announced).

Performance-Based Payment Adjustment for EMS Agencies

EMS agencies that provide transportation to alternative treatment destinations and/or treatment at the scene may be eligible for performance-based payment adjustments of up to 5%, based upon meeting certain performance and reporting metrics. These adjustments will become available no earlier than Year 3 of the ET3 Model, and are not guaranteed.  Performance-based payment adjustments would be based on performance during the previous year (e.g., if the EMS agency meets the performance criteria in Year 3, it would see an increase in Year 4). These performance-based payment adjustments apply only to payments under the ET3 Model, i.e., they do not apply to Medicare payments made under the current Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule.

Payment for Non-Participant Partners

When an EMS agency transports a patient to an alternative treatment destination, that facility will bill Medicare for the services it renders to the beneficiary using its normal claims submission procedures.

Payment for Qualified Health Care Practitioners

A QHP that partners with an EMS agency to provide treatment at the scene will bill Medicare using the applicable HCPCS code for the services it furnished under existing Medicare FFS rules.  When that service is furnished via telehealth, the QHP must submit a claim to Medicare for telehealth services furnished from the distant site.  QHPs that provide services to Medicare beneficiaries during non-business hours (defined as being from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. local time) will be eligible for a 15% increase in the payment rates normally applicable to their in-person or telehealth services.

Notice of Funding Opportunity for 911 Dispatch Centers

Separate from the RFA process, CMMI expects to allocate funding to governmental entities and their designees that operate 911 dispatch centers.  The purpose of this funding is to support the successful implementation of medical triage lines integrated into the local 911 system.  These Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) will be released following the first round of Participant selection (i.e., likely in the Fall/Winter of 2019).

Application Timelines

The RFA is the first of up to three potential RFAs that will be used to select EMS agencies to participate in the ET3 Model as “Participants.” CMMI is indicating that it hopes to select enough EMS agencies to participate to capture up to 30% of the existing volume of Medicare FFS emergency ground ambulance transports. Additional RFAs will be considered based on available funding and evidence that the ET3 Model is working as intended.

CMMI is not currently accepting applications. Round 1 applications will be accepted via an application portal that will be opened at a later date. Information on the applicable process, including the date the application portal will be opened will be posted on the ET3 Model website: https://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/et3

Application Submission Process

If you elect to apply for participation in the ET3 Model, you will be required to identify a “region” in which you propose to implement the model. CMMI indicates that this region should be a county or equivalent entity, or multiple counties or equivalent entities.

In selecting Participants, CMMI indicated that it will give preference to applicants who propose a region that includes at least one county (or county-equivalent) where at least 7,500 Medicare FFS emergency ground ambulance transports occurred in 2017. CMMI provided a list of the number of Medicare FFS emergency ground ambulance transports that occurred in each county (organized by state)  That list can be obtained by clicking here.

Applicants will be required to participate in the transportation to alternative treatment destination (ATD) portion of the program. Applicants will have the option – – but not be required – – to propose the creation of a program to provide treatment at the scene in conjunction with QHPs.  Note: CMMI indicated that applicants that elect to implement the treatment at the scene intervention will earn additional points towards their overall application score.

In order to implement the ATD portion, you will be required to partner with alternative destination sites (e.g., Urgent Care Centers), which must be enrolled in Medicare or employ or contract with Medicare-enrolled practitioners, and which must be able to accept and treat Medicare FFS beneficiaries.  If you elect to implement the treatment at the scene portion, you must also partner with QHPs to provide treatment at the scene. These contractual partners are referred to in the RFA as “Non-Participant Partners” (NPPs). To qualify, you must contract with NPPs that can ensure the availability of services for ET3 Model beneficiaries on a 24 hours per day, 7 days a week basis. CMMI will have the right to accept or reject a proposed Non-Participant Partner.

Applicants will also be required to describe their strategy for engaging other payers in their proposed service area, or explain how they can successfully implement the model for Medicare FFS beneficiaries only.

Accountability and Performance Metrics/Ongoing Educational Commitments

Participants in the ET3 will be required to report certain metrics to CMMI and its contractors. You will also be required to participate in what CMMI is calling a “Learning System.”  This is a structured approach to sharing, integrating, and actively applying quality improvement concepts, tactics, and lessons designed to improve the likelihood of success of the model. At a minimum, this will include consistent participation in monthly ET3 Model learning activities, and participation in at least one in-person event, with the location to be determined by CMMI at a later date.

The above is a brief summary of the new information available regarding the ET3 Model. It is not intended to be a complete discussion of all of the requirements for participation. AAA Members are strongly encouraged to read the RFA for themselves to determine whether they want to participate in the ET3 Model.

CMS Posts 2019 Public Use File

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Medicare, Member-Only, News, Reimbursement.

On November 28, 2018, CMS posted the 2019 Ambulance Fee Schedule Public Use Files. These files contain the amounts that will be allowed by Medicare in calendar year 2019 for the various levels of ambulance service and mileage. These allowables reflect a 2.3% inflation adjustment over the 2018 rates.

The 2019 Ambulance Fee Schedule Public Use File can be downloaded from the CMS website by clicking here.

Unfortunately, CMS has elected in recent years to release its Public Use Files without state and payment locality headings. As a result, in order to look up the rates in your service area, you would need to know the CMS contract number assigned to your state. This is not something the typical ambulance service would necessarily have on hand. For this reason, the AAA. has created a reformatted version of the CMS Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule, which includes the state and payment locality headings. Members can access this reformatted fee schedule here.

View Reformatted Fee Schedule

CMS Announces 2019 Ambulance Inflation Factor

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Medicare, Member Advisories, Member-Only, News.

On November 30, 2018, CMS issued Transmittal 4172 (Change Request 11031), which announced the Medicare Ambulance Inflation Factor (AIF) for calendar year 2019.

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 2.9%. CMS further indicated that the CY 2019 MFP will be 0.6%. Accordingly, CMS indicated that the Ambulance Inflation Factor for calendar year 2019 will be 2.3%.

Rural Health Day Advocacy Update

Written by Kathy Lester on . Posted in Advocacy Priorities, Government Affairs, Legislative, Member Advisories, Member-Only, News, Regulatory, Reimbursement.

Happy National Rural Health Day! Thank you to all of the ambulance service providers who work hard providing life-saving treatment in rural areas every day.

In part of our ongoing advocacy efforts, the AAA sent a letter today to the Rural Caucuses in the United States Senate and House of Representatives. Addressed to leadership of the caucuses, Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), and Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN), this in-depth letter highlights the critical work that our members do every day around the country and raises important issues affecting the industry. Issues covered in the letter include:

Stabilizing the Ambulance Fee Schedule
  • Make the add-ons permanent and build them into the base rate
  • Use new data from the ambulance cost collection program to ensure reimbursement is adequate going forward
  • New data should be used to assess the problems with the current ZIP-code methodology for determining rural and super-rural services
Ambulance Fee Schedule Reform
  • Proposed alternative models for rural ambulance services
  • Encouraging Congress to look at alternative destination options for ambulance service providers
Recognizing Ambulance Services as Providers of Health Care
  • Moving non-fire-based ambulance services from suppliers to providers under Medicare

The letter also highlights some of the burdensome regulations facing ambulance service providers that the AAA has recommended Congress address through its Red Tape initiative. These include:

Removing Unnecessary Regulatory Burdens:
  • Reduce the burdens created by the Physician Certificate Statement
  • Simplify the 855B Ambulance Enrollment Form
  • Address burdensome requirements of the patient signature on claims and the strict application of the revocation of billing authority

This letter from the AAA to Congressional leaders is just one part of the AAA’s ongoing effort to educate Congress on the crucial role ambulance service providers play in America’s healthcare system. The AAA wants Congress to know that in many rural areas of the country, ambulances are the medical safety net, yet face extreme challenges to staying in business thanks to below cost reimbursement and burdensome regulations. The AAA will continue to pursue this list of priorities with our members next year and going forward.

Read the Full Letter

Again, Happy Rural Health Day to our members – thanks for all that you do!

If you have any questions about our letter or rural advocacy, please contact us:

Questions?: Contact Us

If you have questions about the legislation or regulatory initiatives being undertaken by the AAA, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the AAA Government Affairs Team.

Tristan North – Senior Vice President of Government Affairs
tnorth@ambulance.org | (202) 802-9025

Ruth Hazdovac – AAA Senior Manager of Federal Government Affairs
rhazdovac@ambulance.org | (202) 802-9027

Aidan Camas – Manager of State & Federal Government Affairs
acamas@ambulance.org | (202) 802-9026

Thank you for your continued membership and support.

Preliminary Calculation of 2019 Ambulance Inflation Update

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Member Advisories, Member-Only, News, Reimbursement.

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 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 by 2.87%.

CMS has yet to release its estimate for the MFP in calendar year 2019. However, assuming CMS’ projections for the MFP are similar to last year’s projections, the number is likely to be in the 0.5% range.

Accordingly, the AAA is currently projecting that the 2019 Ambulance Inflation Factor will be approximately 2.4%. 

Cautionary Note Regarding these Estimates

Members should be advised that the BLS’ calculations of the CPI-U are preliminary, and may be subject to later adjustment. The AAA further cautions members that CMS has not officially announced the MFP for CY 2019. Therefore, it is possible that these numbers may change. The AAA will notify members once CMS issues a transmittal setting forth the official 2019 Ambulance Inflation Factor.

Summary of March 2018 Ambulance Open Door Forum

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Medicare, Member-Only, News, Reimbursement.

CMS held its latest Open Door Forum on Wednesday, March 7, 2018. As with past Open Door Forums, CMS started the call with the following series of announcements:

Medicare Fee Schedule – CMS indicated that the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, enacted on February 9, 2018, contained several provisions that impacted the payment of ambulance claims under the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule:

  • Temporary Add-Ons for Ground Ambulance – CMS indicated that Section 50203(a) of the bill extended the temporary add-ons for ground ambulance services for an additional five years, retroactive back to January 1, 2018.  As extended, these add-ons will expire on December 31, 2022.  These add-ons increase Medicare’s allowable for ground ambulance base rates and mileage by 2% in urban areas, 3% in rural areas, and by 22.6% (over the applicable rural rate) for services provided in so-called “super rural” areas.
  • Cost Reporting – CMS indicated that Section 50203(b) of the bill would require ground ambulance providers and suppliers to submit cost data to CMS. CMS noted that the new law requires CMS to develop, no later than December 31, 2019, a data collection system to collect cost, revenue, utilization, and certain other information related to ground ambulance services. The law provides that cost data will be collected using a survey methodology, with a representative sample of ambulance providers and suppliers being asked to submit cost data in any given year.  Finally, CMS noted that, starting on January 1, 2022, providers or suppliers that fail to submit the requested cost data would be subject to a 10% reduction in their Medicare payments, unless otherwise exempted on the basis of significant hardship.
  • Additional Reduction in Medicare Payment for Dialysis Transports – Section 53108 of the bill provides that the Medicare allowable for non-emergency, basic life support transports to and from dialysis will be subject to a further 13% reduction.  This reduction would go into effect for dialysis transports with dates of service on or after October 1, 2018. This would be on top of the existing 10% reduction in Medicare’s payment for dialysis transports, for a total reduction of 23%.

Temporary Enrollment Moratorium – CMS indicated that the temporary moratorium on the enrollment of new ground non-emergency ambulance providers in Texas was lifted on September 1, 2017. CMS further indicated that the enrollment moratorium was extended for the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania for an additional six months on January 29, 2018. CMS will need to make a determination on or before July 29, 2018 on whether to lift the moratorium or extent it for an additional six months in that state.

Following the announcements, CMS moved into a brief Question & Answer period.  Most of the questions were not answered on the call; instead, CMS took the contact information of the person asking the question, and indicated that they would respond directly to them at a later date.  However, the following questions were answered:

  1. CMS indicated that a Change Request had been sent to all Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) informing them of the new, adjusted fee schedule amounts. CMS further indicated that this Change Request, which it indicated was confidential, provided further instructions to the MACs on when and how to adjust claims initially paid at the original 2018 rates.
  1. CMS confirmed that the adjusted rates are retroactive to January 1, 2018. Accordingly, CMS indicated that claims paid at the original 2018 rates will be adjusted by the MACs at some future date.
  1. CMS indicated that it recently released its First Interim Evaluation Report on the Medicare Prior Authorization Model for repetitive, non-emergency ground ambulance transports. CMS further indicated that it was still reviewing this report, and that no decision has yet been made on the extension of this model within the existing 9 states and the District of Columbia and/or the expansion of the model to additional states.

Have questions? Please write to the Werfels at bwerfel@aol.com.

AAA Releases Updated 2018 Medicare Rate Calculator

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Medicare, Member Advisories, Member-Only, News, Reimbursement.

CMS Posts Updated 2018 Public Use File; OIG Guidance on Waiver of Small Cost-Sharing Balances Updated AAA 2018 Medicare Rate Calculator Now Available!

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted an updated version of the 2018 Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule Public Use Files (PUF). These files contain the Medicare allowed base rate reimbursement amounts for the various levels of ambulance service and mileage rates. These files reflect the restoration, retroactive to January 1, 2018, of the temporary add-ons for ground ambulance services (2% for urban transports, 3% for rural transports, and the “super-rural” bonus) pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which was enacted on February 9, 2018.

2018 Fee Schedule

Accuracy of Rates and AAA Fee Calculator

The American Ambulance Association has reviewed the rates in this file and confirmed that the rates are accurate. The AAA has also revised its Medicare Ambulance Rate Calculator to reflect the five-year extension of the ambulance add-ons as well as other policy changes including the two-year extension (2026 and 2027) of the 2% Medicare provider cut under sequestration and the additional 13% (23% total) cut to BLS nonemergency transports to and from dialysis centers. The additional dialysis transport cut takes effect on October 1, and as a modifier, is not included in the Public Use File.

Download the 2018 Rate Calculator

Reformatted Version of PUF

Unfortunately, CMS has elected in recent years to release its Public Use Files without state and payment locality headings. As a result, in order to look up the rates in your service area, you would need to know the CMS contract number assigned to your state. This is not something ambulance services would necessarily know off-hand. For this reason, the AAA has created a reformatted version of the CMS Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule, which includes the state and payment locality headings. Members can access this reformatted fee schedule on the AAA website.

CMS has yet to announce a timetable for adjusting claims that were paid at the original fee schedule amounts. It is anticipated that CMS will make an announcement on this timetable in the next few weeks.

Coinsurance

One issue that frequently arises in these situations is how ambulance providers and suppliers should treat the additional coinsurance amounts that are generated when CMS and its contractors adjust claims from the original allowed amounts to the now higher allowed amounts. These additional coinsurance amounts are typically quite small. Ambulance providers and suppliers may determine that the costs associated with trying to collect these small amounts would likely exceed the amounts they could reasonably hope to collect. The question is whether writing off these small balances could be construed as a routine waiver of cost-sharing amounts, a practice prohibited under Medicare’s rules.

In 2010, the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued guidance on this issue. Specifically, the OIG indicated that it would not seek to impose administrative sanctions on Medicare providers and suppliers that waive these amounts provided the following conditions are met:

• The waiver is limited to the increased cost-sharing amounts generated upon adjustment of claims previously paid at the lower allowable, i.e., it does not apply to cost-sharing amounts associated with claims paid at the increased allowables;
• The waiver is limited to the small balances created by the adjustment of claims, i.e., it does not apply to the cost-sharing amounts originally imposed on the beneficiary when the claim was paid at the lower amounts;
• The waiver must be offered uniformly to all affected beneficiaries;
• The waiver must not be advertised; and
• The waiver must not be conditioned on the beneficiary’s receipt of any items, suppliers, or services.

Assuming the above-referenced conditions are met, ambulance providers and supplier can safely write-off these small balances. Please note that the OIG is not indicating that ambulance providers and suppliers must write-off these amounts. Rather, the OIG is simply indicating that this is an option available to health care providers and suppliers impacted by retroactive adjustment of claims.

Download the 2018 Rate Calculator

2018 Fee Schedule

CMS Announces Ambulance Inflation Update for 2018

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Medicare, Member Advisories, Member-Only, Reimbursement.

CMS Announces Ambulance Inflation Update for 2018

On October 27, 2017, CMS issued Transmittal 3893 (Change Request 10323), which announced the Medicare Ambulance Inflation Factor (AIF) for calendar year 2018.

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 2017, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has calculated that the CPI-U has increased 1.6%.

In Transmittal 3893, CMS indicated the CY 2018 MFP will be 0.5%. Accordingly, CMS indicated that the Ambulance Inflation Factor for calendar year 2018 will be 1.1%.

Transmittal 3893 can be downloaded from the CMS website.

Stay In Touch!

By signing up, you agree to the AAA Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.