NewsCMS Rescinds Incremental Mileage BillingSep 1, 2009As you may have been aware, CMS issued instructions to carriers recently that, effective 1/1/10 they were to begin requiring ambulance providers to report and bill for mileage to the 1/10th of a mile. Further the carriers were to reimburse mileage to the 1/10th of a mile. In other words, if a patient was transported 1.3 miles the provider would be paid the approved mileage amount (per mile) multiplied by 1.3 (exact miles traveled) and then 80% of that amount as Medicare pays 80% of the approved amount. This change would have created complications on multiple fronts and apparently CMS realized this AFTER having already issued the order. Therefore, on 8/31/09 CMS issued the instruction to carriers and ambulance suppliers that I will paste below. This is good news as it immediately removes the need for planning for changes and gives our industry an opportunity to participate in the decision making process should this subject be re-visited by CMS in the future. We will keep you posted on this and other issues as they arise in the future. >>> "CMS CMSProviderResource" <CMSProviderResource@CMS.HHS.GOV> >>> 8/31/2009 3:35 PM >>>
Transmittal 1787 (CR 6543), issued July 31, 2009, instructed ambulance suppliers to begin submitting fractional ambulance mileage on all claims for dates of service on and after January 1, 2010. Effective immediately, Transmittal 1787 is rescinded. Suppliers may continue to submit claims for mileage per the guidance currently presented in Publication 100-04 of the Internet Only Manual, Chapter 15, Section 30.1.2. |
