As with most aspects of the EMS industry, Medicare sets the standards for what constitutes medical necessity for ambulance transport. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), medical necessity occurs when a patient has a medical condition for which other means of transportation are contraindicated. For ground ambulance services, Medicare assesses the medical necessity of emergency and non-emergency […]

Like BLS, ALS, and SCT, Emergency and Non-Emergency Transportation are categories of the Levels of Service provided by ambulances. The main difference between them is the need for immediate treatment, which determines the required equipment and personnel.  According to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), most ground ambulance providers in Texas furnish both types of transportation.  Emergency Ambulance Services – […]

ALS Vs BLS – Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) are categories of the Levels of Service provided by ground ambulances. ALS Vs BLS communicate the medical necessity for ambulance services when an EMS agency responds to a 911 call.  The Level of Service determines the reimbursement rate EMS agencies receive for […]

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), there are some criteria that an EMS Patient Care Report (PCR) must observe to be compliant for EMS claim reimbursement. Although there are multiple reasons to be thorough while completing a PCR, the primary motivation is to provide an accurate, truthful, and complete record of the patient’s […]