Prepayment Review Shift Triggers Greater Need for EMS Documentation Focus The Report A few months ago the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report examining audit programs employed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the contractors employed by the agency. The study was commissioned...
Properly Executing the Medicare ABN-Part III In today's blog post, we wrap up the written version of Medicare Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage blog series with a video demonstration. Below, Chuck presents a brief introduction, followed by walk-through explanation of the ABN form. Introduction Executing the Medicare ABN Form NOTE: You can watch...
Properly Executing the Medicare ABN-Part II Last Week Thanks for returning to read out two-part series, Properly Executing the Medicare ABN. Last week we introduced the Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) to you and explained the theory behind the use of this government- issued form. You’ll recall that we...
Properly Executing the Medicare ABN-Part I Misunderstood One of the most misunderstood puzzle pieces of ambulance billing is the Medicare Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN). As we work together with our contracted EMS agency clients, we find that EMS administrators and providers alike are very confused about the when...
Documenting “Right Now” In the Moment… When assisting in documentation training for EMS providers, a common emphasis is made to continually reinforce the necessity of documenting the patient’s condition right now in the Patient Care Report. We find it especially important to stress this important concept when educating providers who...
Billing for Ambulance Scenarios Involving Death Solemn Subject This week we address a rather solemn subject. While none of us care to admit it, there are times when our best life-saving efforts are unable to change the course of events and our patients succumb due to medical emergencies and/or trauma...
Emergency! – Digging Deeper to Define Lights and Sirens Myth This billing office is often questioned about what constitutes an emergency for the purposes of billing and collecting payment. There’s a myth in EMS that any ambulance incident that necessitates the use of “lights and sirens” is an emergency. It’s...
Illegal Drugs and EMS Impact- Staying Afloat An Epidemic The Washington Post devoted an entire byline story in 2015 to one Pennsylvania County; The heroin epidemic’s toll: One county, 70 minutes, eight overdoses (The Washington Post, Bernstein, August 23, 2015) By the time that day had ended, 16 overdose calls were dispatched...
Take Time to Remember Holiday Weekend The first holiday weekend of what we consider to be the “summer season” is upon us. In the United States we take time to remember those who have given their all, their very lives, so we who remain can live in freedom. We set...
Origins and Destinations Where am I? We were reminded when adding some new facility locations into our ambulance billing office computer system this week how confusing the types of facilities can become. Today, a single pick-up and/or drop-off location for an ambulance can serve several capacities. Literally one address, one...
