On March 9, 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the creation of the Change Healthcare/Optum Payment Disruption (CHOPD) Program.  Under the CHOPD Program, CMS will make […]

The post CMS Announced Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payments in Response to Change Healthcare Cyberattack appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On February 21, 2024, UnitedHealth Group (UHG) disclosed that one of its subsidiaries was the victim of a ransomware attack.  According to UHG, the cyberattack was perpetrated against Change Healthcare, […]

The post Summary of Change Healthcare Cyberattack and HHS Statement appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post AAA Releases 2024 Medicare Rate Calculator appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post CMS Announces 2024 Ambulance Inflation Factor appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post CMS Releases Advance Copy of CY 2024 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post Impact of Expiration of Public Health Emergency on May 11, 2023 appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post 2023 Ambulance Fee-for-Service Medicaid Rate Survey appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post Revised CY 2023 Ambulance Fee Schedule Public Use Files appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post CMS Publishes New EMTALA Training Materials appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post AAA Posts Reformatted 2023 Public Use File appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

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On October 14, 2022, CMS issued Transmittal 11642 (Change Request 12948), which announced the Medicare Ambulance Inflation Factor (AIF) for the calendar year 2023. The AIF is calculated by measuring […]

The post CMS Announces 2023 Ambulance Inflation Factor appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post CMS Ambulance Open Door Forum Summary appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

HRSA announces potential relief for health care providers that missed the deadline to report on their use of Provider Relief Funds On April 7, 2022, the Health Resources and Services […]

The post PRF Late Reporting Extended appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post Issue Impacting Medicare Claims for Patients in a Part A SNF Stay appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post Balance Billing | TX Judge Vacates Portions of NSA IFR appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post AAA Releases 2022 Medicare Rate Calculator appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) has announced that it will begin distributing Phase 4 General Distribution Payments on Thursday, December 16, 2021.  According to HRSA, approximately 75% of […]

The post HRSA Announces Distribution of Phase 4 General Distribution Funds appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post CMS Posts 2022 Public Use File appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post CMS Announces 2022 Ambulance Inflation Factor appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post Tranche 4 Application—TIN Validation Error appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post HRSA Announces 60-Day Grace Period for Provider Relief Fund Reporting appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On August 26, 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its proposed timeline for the national expansion of the Prior Authorization Model for Repetitive, Scheduled Non-Emergent Ambulance […]

The post CMS Announces Timeline for National Expansion of Prior Authorization for Repetitive, Scheduled Non-Emergency Ambulance Transportation appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The American Ambulance Association wants to remind our members that the deadline to submit your initial report on your use of HHS Provider Relief Funds is fast approaching.  Any ambulance […]

The post Provider Relief Fund Reporting Requirement Deadline is Approaching appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

The post Preliminary Calculation of 2022 Ambulance Inflation Update appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post Facility Contract Template for EMS appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post HHS Issues Revised Notice of Provider Relief Fund Reporting Requirements appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post AAA Releases 2019 National and State-Specific Medicare Data appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post CMMI Contractor Issues Final Report on Prior Authorization appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

CMS Confirms Suspension of Medicare Sequester Through End of 2021; Announces Lifting of Claims Hold On April 16, 2021, CMS published a notice on the MLNConnects webpage announcing the passage […]

The post CMS | Sequestration | Claims Hold Lifted appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

CMS Increases Medicare Payment for COVID-19 Vaccinations                                                                           By Brian S. Werfel, Esq. On March 15, 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it would […]

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The post HHS Office for Civil Rights Issues Proposed Rule Making Changes to HIPAA Privacy Rule appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post 2021 Medicare Rate Calculator Released appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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The post CMS Announces 2021 Ambulance Inflation Factor appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On October 8, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Fact Sheet setting forth the repayment terms for advances made under the Medicare Accelerated and Advance […]

The post CMS: Revised Repayment Terms for Medicare Accelerated Payments appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On August 25, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published an interim final rule with a comment period titled “Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments […]

The post CMS: COVID Testing and Screening Guidance for SNF and Long-Term Care Facilities appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On September 22, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a continuing resolution to keep the government funded through December 11, 2020.  Under current law, government funding is set to […]

The post U.S. House of Representatives Approves Continuing Resolution appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

The post Preliminary Calculation of 2020 Ambulance Inflation Update appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

American Ambulance Association Medicare Consultant Brian Werfel, Esq provides a brief update on the HHS COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund.

The post Werfel | Quick Take on HHS Provider Relief Fund appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced that it would be extending the deadline for health care providers to apply to receive general distribution funding from the […]

The post Department of Health and Human Services Extends Deadline to Apply for Provider Relief Funds appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On July 7, 2020, CMS updated its Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Provider Burden Relief Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).  As part of this update, CMS indicated that it would resume several […]

The post CMS Announces Resumption of Program Integrity Functions appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On July 7, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service published a series of Frequently Asked Questions that address the taxation of payments to health care providers under the HHS Provider Relief […]

The post IRS Guidance on Taxation of HHS Provider Relief Funds appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On May 1, 2020, CMS updated its “COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Billing.”  The full document can be viewed by clicking here. In the updated FAQ, […]

The post CMS Issues Additional Staffing and Licensing Waivers appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

HHS Updates Guidance on Provider Relief Funding for Uninsured to include Air and Water Ambulance The Department of Health and Human Services recently updated its guidance on the disbursement of […]

The post COVID-19 Uninsured Program Now Includes Air, Water appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

UPDATED: HHS Opens Portal for Healthcare Providers and Suppliers to Apply for Second Tranche of CARES Act Provider Relief Funding Updated April 24, 2020 at 9:40 pm | Register for […]

The post UPDATED: What to Do for Round 2 of HHS Provider Relief appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

HHS Announces Plans for Distribution of Remaining CARES Act Provider Relief Funding By Brian S. Werfel, Esq. March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and […]

The post HHS Announces Plans for Distribution of Remaining CARES Act Provider Relief Funding appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to HHS CARES Act Provider Relief Funding By Brian S. Werfel, Esq. In March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, […]

The post FAQs – HHS CARES Act Provider Relief Funding appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

CMS Clarifies Medicare Requirements Related to Medical Necessity and the Patient Signature Requirement during Current National State of Emergency By Brian S. Werfel, Esq. On April 9, 2020, CMS updated […]

The post CMS: Medical Necessity & Patient Signature Requirements During COVID-19 appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).  As part of that Act, Congress allocated $100 billion to the […]

The post HHS Announces Release of Initial Tranche of CARES Act Provider Relief Funding appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On April 8, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will be delaying the start of the Emergency Triage, Treat and Transport (ET3) Model until […]

The post CMS Announces Delay to ET3 Start Date appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

AAA Operations & Human Resources Consultant Scott Moore, Esq has developed a summary of financial relief provisions from the recent CARES Act. The resource will help your organization evaluate in […]

The post Summary of Financial Relief Provisions Under the CARES Act appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

CMS released published a guidance document summarizing some of the steps that it has taken to relieve the administrative burden on health care providers and suppliers during the current public […]

The post CMS “Pauses” Prior Authorization Model for Scheduled, Repetitive Non-Emergency Ambulance Transportation appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post CMS Releases Update Guidance on Hospital EMTALA Obligations Related to COVID-19 appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On March 16, 2020, CMS approved an 1135 Waiver request submitted by the State of Florida. The State had requested the flexibility to waive prior authorization requirements, streamline its Medicaid […]

The post CMS Grants State of Florida’s 1135 Waiver Request for Coronavirus Response appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On March 13, 2020, President Donald J. Trump announced a national state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, HHS Secretary Alex Azar had declared a public health […]

The post Understanding Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Coverage of Ambulance Services under a Declared National State of Emergency appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post CMS Announces New Healthy Adult Opportunity Initiative appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

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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 […]

The post 2018 National and State-Specific Medicare Data appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

The post CMS Announces 2020 Ambulance Inflation Factor appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

The post CMS Announces Comment Period for National Expansion of Prior Authorization Process appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post HHS OIG Issues Proposed AKS Safe Harbor Rule appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On September 16, 2019, CMS published a notice in the Federal Register that it would be extending the prior authorization demonstration project for another year. The extension is limited to […]

The post CMS Announces Extension of Prior Authorization Program appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

The post Preliminary Calculation of 2020 Ambulance Inflation Update appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On April 1, 2019, CMS implemented a new series of Common Working File (CWF) edits that it stated would better identify ground ambulance transports that were furnished in connection with […]

The post New SNF Consolidated Billing Edits: FAQs appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

Emergency Triage, Treatment and Transport (ET3) Model Application Portal is Now Open! On August 5, 2019, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announced that it had opened its […]

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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 […]

The post CMMI Releases Preview of ET3 RFA appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On April 1, 2019, CMS implemented a new series of Common Working File (CWF) edits that are intended to better identify ground ambulance transports that are furnished in connection with […]

The post New SNF PPS Edits Highlight the Importance of Facility Agreements appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post Summary of March 28, 2019 Ambulance ODF appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

HHS OIG Issues Advisory Opinion Permitting Community Paramedicine Program Designed to Limit Hospital Readmissions On March 6, 2019, the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) posted OIG Advisory Opinion […]

The post HHS OIG Issues Advisory Opinion on Community Paramedicine appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

CMS Set to Implement New Common Working File Edits to Identify Ambulance Services Provided in Connection with Outpatient Hospital Services that should be bundled to the SNF under Consolidated Billing. […]

The post Update on New SNF Edits appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

CMS Set to Implement New Common Working File Edits to Identify Ambulance Services Provided in Connection with Outpatient Hospital Services that should be bundled to the SNF under Consolidated Billing […]

The post CMS SNF Edits Go Into Effect – April 1, 2019 appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The AAA is pleased to release its 2019 State Medicaid Rate Survey. This survey sets forth the fee-for-service Medicaid rates for all 50 states. For each state, the Survey lists […]

The post AAA Releases 2019 State Medicaid Ambulance Rate Survey appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On January 30, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it had elected not to extend its temporary moratoria on the enrollment of new Medicare Part […]

The post CMS Declines to Extend Temporary Moratorium appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On December 14, 2018, a federal district court judge for the Northern District of Texas issued a ruling striking down the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on the grounds that the […]

The post Federal District Court Judge Strikes Down the ACA appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 post CMS Posts 2019 Public Use File appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

The post CMS Announces 2019 Ambulance Inflation Factor appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

On November 30, 2018, CMS issued a notice on its website that it would be extending the prior authorization demonstration project for another year. The extension is limited to those […]

The post CMS Announces Extension of Prior Authorization Program appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The American Ambulance Association is pleased to announce the publication of its 2017 Medicare Payment Data Report. This report is based on the Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary Master File. This report […]

The post 2017 National and State-Specific Medicare Data appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post Talking Medicare: CMS Implements Further Dialysis Cuts appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

The post Preliminary Calculation of 2019 Ambulance Inflation Update appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

The post CMS Announces Revisions to Provider Enrollment Waiver Demonstration (PEWD) Program appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

The post Talking Medicare: DOJ Settlement Highlights Importance of Exclusion Testing appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post CMS Extends Moratorium on Non-Emergency Ground Services appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

Talking Medicare: GAO urges CMS to continue prior authorization efforts On May 21, 2018, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on the […]

The post Talking Medicare: GAO urges CMS to continue prior authorization appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post Talking Medicare: A Good Thing Poorly Explained appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The AAA would like to take this opportunity to update members on a number of issues related to Medicare reimbursement: CMS and its contractors have begun adjusting claims for ground […]

The post Update on Medicare Reimbursement Issues appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post First Interim Evaluation Report on Medicare Prior Authorization appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

The post Summary of March 2018 Ambulance Open Door Forum appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

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 […]

The post AAA Releases Updated 2018 Medicare Rate Calculator appeared first on American Ambulance Association.

The post Talking Medicare: Low Volume Settlement Option appeared first on American Ambulance Association.