Reimbursement Info for Ambulance Services
Ambulance Services
Questionable billing, medical necessity, and level of transport
We will examine Medicare claims data to assess the extent of questionable billing for ambulance services, such as transports to dialysis facilities that potentially never occurred or potentially were medically unnecessary. We will also determine whether Medicare payments for ambulance services were made in accordance with Medicare requirements. Prior OIG work found that Medicare made inappropriate payments for advanced life support emergency transports. Medicare pays for emergency and non-emergency ambulance services when a beneficiary's medical condition at the time of transport is such that other means of transportation would endanger the beneficiary. (Social Security Act, § 1861(s)(7).) Medicare pays for different levels of ambulance service, including basic life support, advanced life support and specialty care transport. (42 CFR § 410.40(b).) (OAS; W-00- 11-35574; W-00-12-35574; W-00-13-35574; W-00-14-35574; various reviews; expected issue date: FY 2016)