The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the waiver on Medicare treatment-in-place for ground ambulance services during the Coronavirus pandemic.
The waiver provides reimbursement to ambulance services for 911 responses to patients who are not brought to local emergency departments because of protocol designed to preserve health system capacity.
Matt Zavadsky says highlights of the waiver include:
• Medicare reimbursement for patients treated in place due to a community-wide EMS protocol.
• For dates of service starting March 1, 2020 and lasting through the end of calendar year in which the PHE ends.
• Can be billed through May 5, 2022.
• ALS and BLS base reimbursement eligible, depending on level of service provided.
• Does not require the use of telemedicine.
The waiver had the support of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, American Ambulance Association, International Association of Fire Chiefs and the International Association of Fire Fighters.
