(Medicare Benefit Policy Manual)

Medicare Benefit Policy Manual  Chapter 10 - Ambulance Services   Table of Contents (Rev. 243, 04-13-18)  Transmittals for Chapter 10  10 - Ambulance Service 10.1 - Vehicle and Crew Requirement  10.1.1 - The Vehicle 10.1.2 - Vehicle Requirements for Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support  10.1.3 - Verification of Compliance  10.1.4 - Ambulance Services Furnished by Providers of Services  10.1.5 - Equipment and Supplies  10.2 - Necessity and Reasonableness  10.2.1 - Necessity for the Service  10.2.2 - Reasonableness of the Ambulance Trip  10.2.3 - Medicare Policy Concerning Bed -Confinement  10.2.4 - Documentation Requirements  10.2.5-Transport of Persons Other Than the Beneficiary  10.2.6 - Effect of Beneficiary Death on Medicare Payment for Ground Ambulance Transports  10.3 - The Destination  10.3.1 - Institution to Beneficiarys Home  10.3.2 - Institution to Institution  10.3.3  Separately Payable Ambulance Transport Under Part B Versus Patient Transportation that is Covered Under a Packaged Institutional Service 10.3.4  Transports to and from Medical Services for Beneficiaries who are not Inpatients  10.3.5 - Locality  10.3.6 - Appropriate Facilities  10.3.7 - Partial Payment 10.3.8 - Ambulance Service to Physicians Office  10.3.9 - Transportation Requested by Home Health Agency  10.3.10  Multiple Patient Ambulance Transport  10.4 - Air Ambulance Services  10.4.1 -  Coverage Requirements  10.4.2 -  Medical Reasonablenes s 10.4.3 -  Time Needed for Ground Transport  10.4.4 -  Hospital to Hospital Transport  10.4.5 -  Special Coverage Rule 10.4.6 -  Special Payment Limitations  10.4.7 -  Documentation 10.4.8 -  Air Ambulance Transports Canceled Due to Weather or Other Circumstances Beyond the Pilots Control  10.4.9 -  Effect of Beneficiary Death on Program Payment for Air Ambulance Transports  10.5 -  Joint Responses  20 - Coverage Guidelines for Ambulance Service Claims  20.1 -  Mandatory Assignment Requirements  20.1.1 -  Managed Care Providers/Suppliers  20.1.2 -  Beneficiary Signature Requirements  30 - Implementation of the Ambulance Fee Schedule  30.1 -  Definition  of Ambulance Services  30.1.1 -  Ground Ambulance Services  30.1.2 -  Air Ambulance Services  10 - Ambulance Service  (Rev. 1, 10-01-03) B3-2120, A3-3114, HO-236  Ambulance services are separately payable only under Part B.  There are certain circumstances in which the service is covered and payable as a beneficiary transportation service under Part A; however in this case the service cannot be classified and paid f or as an ambulance service under Part B. (See 10.3.3 for a description of this exception.  Also see 10.2.4  for the required documentation for ambulance services.)  Payment  may be made for expenses incurred for ambulance service provided the conditions specified in the following subsections are met.  (See the Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 15, Ambulance, for instructions for processing ambulance service claims. )  The Medicare ambulance benefit is a transportation benefit and without a transport there is no payable service.  When multiple ground and/or air ambulance providers/suppliers respond, payment may be made only to the ambulance provider/supplier that actually furnishes the transport.  10.1 - Vehicle and Crew Requirement  (Rev. 1, 10-01-03) B3-2120.1, A3-3114, HO-236.1  10.1.1 - The Vehicle  (Rev. 1, 10-01-03) B3-2120.1.A, A3-3114.A, HO-236.1.A   Any vehicle used as an ambulance must be designed and equipped to respond to medical emergencies and, in nonemergency situations, be capable of transporting beneficiaries with acute medical conditions.  The vehicle must comply with State or local laws governing the licensing and certification of an emergency medical t ransportation vehicle.  At a minimum, the ambulance must contain a stretcher, linens, emergency medical supplies, oxygen equipment, and other lifesaving emergency medical equipment and be equipped with emergency warning lights, sirens, and telecommunications equipment as required by State or local law.  This should include, at a minimum, one 2-way voice radio or wireless telephone.   10.1.2 - Vehicle Requirements for Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support  (Rev. 226, Issued: 09-12-16, Effective: 01-01-16, Implementation: 12 -12-16)  Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances must be staffed by at least two people, who meet the requirements of state and local laws where the services are being furnished and where, at least one of whom must (1) be certified at a minimum as an emergency medical technician -basic (EMT -basic) by the state or local authority where the services are being furnished and ( 2) be legally authorized to operate all lifesaving and life -sustaining equipment on board the vehicle.   Advanced Life Support (ALS) vehicles must be staffed by at least two people , who meet the requirements of state and local laws where the services are being furnished and where at least one of whom must (1) meet the vehicle staff requirements above for BLS vehicles and (2) be certified as an EMT -Intermediate or an EMT -Paramedic by the state or local authority where the services are being furnished to perform one or more ALS services.   10.1.3 - Verification of Compliance  (Rev. 1, 10- 01-03) B3-2120.1.C, B3- 2120.1.C, HO -236.1  In determining whether the vehicles and personnel of each supplier meet all of the above requirements, A/B MACs (B) may accept the supp liers statement (absent information to the contrary) that its vehicles and personnel meet all of the requirements if:  1. The statement describes the first aid, safety, and other patient care items with which the vehicles are equipped;   2. The statement shows t he extent of first aid training acquired by the personnel assigned to those vehicles;   3. The statement contains the suppliers agreement to notify the A/B MAC (B) of any change in operation which could affect the coverage of ambulance services; and   4. The information provided indicates that the requirements are met.  The statement must be accompanied by documentary evidence that the ambulance has the equipment required by State and local authorities.  Documentary evidence could include a letter from such au thorities, a copy of a license, permit, certificate, etc., issued by the authorities.  The A/B MAC (B) will keep the statement and supporting documentation on file.  When a supplier does not submit such a statement or whenever there is a question about a suppliers compliance with any of the above requirements for vehicle and crew (including suppliers who have completed the statement), A/B MACs (B) will take appropriate action including, where necessary, on -site inspection of the vehicles and verification of the qualifications of personnel to determine whether the ambulance service qualifies for reimbursement under Medicare.  Since the requirements described above for coverage of ambulance services are applicable to the overall operation of the ambulance suppliers service, information regarding personnel and vehicles need not be obtained on an individual trip basis.  10.1.4 - Ambulance Services Furnished by Providers of Services  (Rev. 1, 10- 01-03) A3-3114, B3- 2120.1, HO -236.1  The A/B MAC (A) is responsible for the processing of claims for ambulance service furnished under arrangements by participating hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies.  Since provider ambulance services furnished under arrangements with suppliers can be covered only if the supplier meets the above requirements, the A/B MAC (A) may ask the A/B MAC (B) to identify those suppliers who meet the requirements.  Where the "under arrangement" supplier also supplies ambulance services directly to Medicare beneficiaries,  i.e., services that are not pursuant to an arrangement with a provider, the A/B MAC (A) contacts the A/B MAC (B) to ascertain whether it has already determined whether the crew and ambulance requirements are met.  In such a situation, the A/B MAC (A) should accept the A/B MAC (B)s determination without pursuing its own investigation.  10.1.5 - Equipment and Supplies  (Rev. 1, 10- 01-03) A3-3114.A, B3- 2120.2.E   As mentioned above, the ambulance must have customary patient care equipment and first aid supplie s, including reusable devices and equipment such as backboards, neckboards, and inflatable leg and arm splints.  These are all considered part of the general ambulance service and payment for them is included in the payment rate for the transport.  10.2 - Necessity and Reasonableness  (Rev. 1, 10- 01-03) B3-2120.2, A3- 3114.B, HO -236.2  To be covered, ambulance services must be medically necessary and reasonable.   10.2.1 - Necessity for the Service (Rev. 1, 10- 01-03) B3-2120.2.A, A3- 3114.B, HO -236.2  Medical necessity is established when the patient's condition is such that use of any other method of transportation is contraindicated.  In any case in which some means of transportation other than an ambulance could be used without endangering the individual's health, whether or not such other transportation is actually available, no payment may be made for ambulance services.  In all cases, the appropriate documentation must be kept on file and, upon request, presented to the A/B MAC (A) or (B).  It is important to note that the presence (or absence) of a physicians order for a transport by ambulance does not necessarily prove (or disprove) whether the transport was medically necessary.  The ambulance service must meet all program coverage criteria in order for payment to be made.   In addition, the reason for the ambulance transport must be medically necessary.  That is, the transport must be to obtain a Medicare covered service, or to return from such a service.   10.2.2 - Reasonableness of the Ambulance Trip  (Rev. 103; Issued:  02- 20-09; Effective Date:  01 -05-09; Implementation Date:  03 -20-09)  Under the FS payment is made according to the level of medically necessary services actually furnished.  That is, payment is based on the level of service furnished (provided they were medically necessary), not simply on the vehicle used.  Even if a local government requires an ALS response for all calls, payment under the FS is made only for the level of service furnished, and then only when the service is medically nece ssary.   10.2.3 - Medicare Policy Concerning Bed -Confinement  (Rev. 1, 10- 01-03)  As stated above, medical necessity is established when the patients condition is such that the use of any other method of transportation is contraindicated.  A/B MACs (A) and (B) may presume this requirement is met under certain circumstances, including w hen the beneficiary was bed -confined before and after the ambulance trip (see 20  for the complete list of circumstances).   A beneficiary is bed -confined if he/she is:    Unable to get up from bed without assistance;    Unab le to ambulate; and    Unable to sit in a chair or wheelchair.   The term "bed confined" is not synonymous with "bed rest" or "nonambulatory".  Bed -confinement, by itself, is neither sufficient nor is it necessary to determine the coverage for Medicare ambulance benefits.  It is simply one element of the beneficiary's condition that may be taken into account in the A/B MAC (A)s or (B)s  determination of whether means of transport othe r than an ambulance were contraindicated.   10.2.4 - Documentation Requirements   In all cases, the appropriate documentation must be kept on file and, upon request, presented to the A/B MAC (B).  It is important to note that neither the presence nor absence of a signed physicians order for an ambulance transport necessarily proves (or disproves) whether the transport was medically necessary.  The ambulance service must meet all program coverage criteria in order for payment to be made.   10.2.5- Transport of Persons Other Than the Beneficiary  (Rev. 1, 10- 01-03)