Bi-Partisan Senate Bill Critical to Ambulance Industry SB 1405 Once again, the American Ambulance Association deserves major props for issuing its latest “Call to Action.” In an e-mail blast forwarded to all members on August 1st, AAA President Jimmy Johnson is urging the American ambulance industry to urge Senators to co-sponsor SB 1405, commonly known […]
Results A difference? All of us in EMS grow to realize more and more that it’s not about just what we do, but that what we do makes a difference. We can all remember our earliest days in EMS. None of us really had a clue. So, much about our experience was about the “stuff” […]
Pediatric Patient Pitfalls That Lump in your Throat We don’t know about you, but each and every time we’re dispatched to a pediatric emergency, there’s just this lump that forms in the throat. Somehow, the gravity of having a young life with a long future ahead of them resting in our hands tends to make […]
Defining EMS for our Communities-Facility Education Last Week… In this space last week, we advocated stepping out to educate our communities about EMS. We focused primarily on where to educate people on the subject of when it’s appropriate (and not appropriate) to call 9-1-1 in light of medical necessity and the need for EMS. Our […]
Novitas Announces Revalidation Mailing for Jurisdiction H Medicare Novitas Solutions Inc, Part A/B Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for Jurisdiction H including the States of Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas announced the mailing of 18,000 revalidation notices to Medicare providers and suppliers. This follows a similar project conducted by Novitas Solutions for […]
Defining EMS for our Communities “Foot Pain” “County 9-1-1 dispatching EMS Station 90 for unknown medical emergency, female patient with foot pain. Ambulance 91 is due at 2040 hours.” That’s your scenario as it cracks through the Minitor. “Foot pain?” You ask yourself. Really? Someone actually called 9-1-1 to request an ambulance for foot pain? […]
You’re a Volunteer! Kudos! Today’s blog is primarily directed to our volunteer friends. Maybe you’re a volunteer administrator that sits on the Board of Directors for your ambulance service. Or, maybe you’re a volunteer provider, EMT or Paramedic, who gives your time to patient care when you’re not working at your “other job.” Maybe you […]
“Service Not Reasonable and Necessary” Part II Welcome back to Part II of our look at Palmetto GBA’s widespread review of ambulance services in the second quarter of fiscal year 2013. You’ll recall that last week we really focused on Palmetto’s comments concerning signatures and how their presence of lack thereof influenced their decision to […]
Palmetto GBA Releases Results of Second Quarter Review Emergency and Non-Emergency Palmetto GBA, the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for Railroad Medicare, nationwide, and Part A/B MAC for the States of West Virginia, Virginia, North and South Carolina has released the results of a widespread review of Advanced Life Support ambulance services which was conducted during […]
Coloring Between the Lines—Self-Auditing The Basics Remember those days in grade school when you were so worried about coloring between the lines? Staying in compliance with the many ambulance service billing rules and regulations is a lot like that. We all have to “color between the lines.” One of the best ways to get it […]
