Re:Doctor Replied to Your Email. That'll Cost $25
by FireBeyond on Friday March 08, 2024 @08:47PM
(#39648695)
I'm sorry. Hospital staff are notoriously bad for incorrectly filling out the paperwork that Medicare requires to justify ambulance transport, such that we (paramedics and EMTs) are constantly explaining it to them.
Shock, horror, you actually need to read through the form and select the appropriate checkboxes (around ability to stand, need for oxygen, fall risk and hazard, danger to self or others, etc., etc.)
Too many of them literally fill out patient demographics and a signature and say "here you go".
We push back because our organization policy is that we will transport those patients, BUT we would also much rather bill Medicare than the patient (our billing staff and C-suite may disagree, but EMTs and paramedics wholeheartedly understand that routine privately paid ambulance transport is not a viable option for 99.998% of the elderly).
Shock, horror, you actually need to read through the form and select the appropriate checkboxes (around ability to stand, need for oxygen, fall risk and hazard, danger to self or others, etc., etc.)
Too many of them literally fill out patient demographics and a signature and say "here you go".
We push back because our organization policy is that we will transport those patients, BUT we would also much rather bill Medicare than the patient (our billing staff and C-suite may disagree, but EMTs and paramedics wholeheartedly understand that routine privately paid ambulance transport is not a viable option for 99.998% of the elderly).