Both Medicare Parts A and B pay to transport nursing home residents under limited circumstances, in both emergency and nonemergency situations. The only mode of transportation Medicare covers is ambulances. Part A coverage is available to a nursing home resident for whom Medicare is paying the home's daily rate. This coverage is limited to 100 days. It makes no difference whether the transportation is available.
Medical necessity is determined based on the resident's condition at the time of service.
6. sustained an acute stroke or heart attack, 7. was experiencing severe bleeding, 8. was bed confined before and after the trip, or 9. could be moved only by stretcher. The regulations explicitly prohibit coverage for certain trips, including trips from a nursing home to a doctor's office. Medicare pays for both BLS and ALS ambulance services, depending on the nature of the trip. These rates are the same for emergency and nonemergency trips. Medicare also sets rates for ancillary services, like mileage and night calls, which add to the total bill.