The HCPCS codes range Ambulance and Other Transport Services and Supplies A0021-A0999 is a standardized code set necessary for Medicare and other health insurance providers to provide healthcare claims.
Code Sector: 62 - Health Care and Social Assistance. NAICS 621910 Ambulance Services Description. This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing transportation of patients by ground or air, along with medical care. These services are often provided during a medical emergency but are not restricted to emergencies.
Yet there is no law federal or state that says an ambulance must transport all callers. 911 ambulances can not deny needed emergency care but they can say no to transport if the caller does not need it. Sadly to many take the lazy way and just transport all callers.
Rural Air Ambulance ServicesCodeDescriptionA0428AMBULANCE SERVICE, BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORT, (BLS)A0429AMBULANCE SERVICE, BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, EMERGENCY TRANSPORT (BLS-EMERGENCY)A0430AMBULANCE SERVICE, CONVENTIONAL AIR SERVICES, TRANSPORT, ONE WAY (FIXED WING)9 more rows
Refusal of transport (Procedure code A0998 definition-"Ambulance response and treatment, no transport") is statutorily excluded from Medicare coverage and, therefore, is not payable when billed to Medicare.
Modifiers identifying the place of origin and destination of the ambulance trip must be submitted on all ambulance claims. The modifier is to be placed next to the Health Care Procedure Coding System code billed.
code 0540Report revenue code 0540 on the claim for ambulance services.
HCPCS codesCodeDescriptionA0100Non-emergency transportation; taxiA0110Non-emergency transportation and bus, intra or inter state carrierA0120Non-emergency transportation: mini-bus, mountain area transports, or other transportation systemsA0130Non-emergency transportation: wheelchair van44 more rows
Ambulance response and treatment with no transportHCPCS code A0998 Ambulance response and treatment with no transport is active and available for use.
CODE 3 EMERGENCY RESPONSE A “CODE 3” response is defined as an emergency response determined by factors such as immediate danger to officer or public safety that require an expedited priority response utilizing lights and sirens.
REPLACEMENT AND REPAIRRP REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR -RP MAY BE USED - HCPCS Modifier Code Code. RR RENTAL (USE THE 'RR' MODIFIER WHEN DME - HCPCS Modifier Code Code. RT RIGHT SIDE (USED TO IDENTIFY PROCEDURES PERFORMED - HCPCS Modifier Code Code.
Physicians should append modifier -95 to the claim lines delivered via telehealth. Claims with POS 02 – Telehealth will be paid at the normal facility rate, which is typically less than the non-facility rate under the Medicare physician fee schedule.
Modifier HN + QN is to be used for non-emergency ambulance transportation from an acute care hospital to a skilled nursing facility. A TAR is not required for non-emergency ambulance transportation from an acute care hospital to a skilled nursing facility.
It is the policy of the health plan that facility charges for hospital-based outpatient clinics (revenue code 510) do not represent covered services under the health plan provider participation agreements.
Drugs requiring detailed codingManaged care payers often have “carve-out” payments for drugs reported in revenue code 636 (Drugs requiring detailed coding) when reported on both inpatient and outpatient claims. Outlier payments are calculated on all charges reported for inpatients and outpatients.
How Are Ambulance Modifiers Used? For ambulance service claims, institutional-based providers and suppliers must report an origin and destination modifier for each ambulance trip provided in HCPCS/Rates. Origin and destination modifiers used for ambulance services are created by combining two alpha characters.
Modifier HN + QN is to be used for non-emergency ambulance transportation from an acute care hospital to a skilled nursing facility. A TAR is not required for non-emergency ambulance transportation from an acute care hospital to a skilled nursing facility.
Skilled Nursing FacilityNH. Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) to a Hospital. NI. Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) to a Site of ambulance transport modes transfer.
Ambulance service provided under arrangement by a provider of services* QN. Ambulance service furnished directly by a provider of services* The QM and QN modifiers are valid for Medicare; however, the services would be denied under Part B Medicare as a Part A Medicare expense. Ambulance Origin/Destination Modifiers.
Date of Service: The date of service reported on the claim should be the date that the ambulance departs the point of pickup with the patient on board.
Note: Use code Z99.89 to denote the need for continuous IV fluid (s), "active airway management", or the need for multiple machines/devices.
Billing and Coding articles provide guidance for the related Local Coverage Determination (LCD) and assist providers in submitting correct claims for payment. Billing and Coding articles typically include CPT/HCPCS procedure codes, ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes, as well as Bill Type, Revenue, and CPT/HCPCS Modifier codes. The code lists in the article help explain which services (procedures) the related LCD applies to, the diagnosis codes for which the service is covered, or for which the service is not considered reasonable and necessary and therefore not covered.
Note: The contractor has identified the Bill Type and Revenue Codes applicable for use with the CPT/HCPCS codes included in this Article. Providers are reminded that not all CPT/HCPCS codes listed can be billed with all Bill Type and/or Revenue Codes listed. CPT/HCPCS codes are required to be billed with specific Bill Type and Revenue Codes. Providers are encouraged to refer to the CMS IOM, Publication 100-04, Medicare Claims Processing Manual, for further guidance.
You, your employees and agents are authorized to use CPT only as contained in the following authorized materials of CMS internally within your organization within the United States for the sole use by yourself, employees and agents. Use is limited to use in Medicare, Medicaid or other programs administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). You agree to take all necessary steps to insure that your employees and agents abide by the terms of this agreement.
V86.31 describes the circumstance causing an injury, not the nature of the injury. This chapter permits the classification of environmental events and circumstances as the cause of injury, and other adverse effects. Where a code from this section is applicable, it is intended that it shall be used secondary to a code from another chapter ...
V86.31 should not be used for reimbursement purposes as there are multiple codes below it that contain a greater level of detail.
ICD-9-CM subcategory 305.0, alcohol abuse, provides information on whether the pattern of alcohol use by the patient is continuous, episodic, in remission, or unspecified. The classification of continuous or episodic alcohol abuse or dependence is not found in ICD-10-CM.
Effective January 1, 2012, ICD-9’s were required to be submitted on electronic ambulance claims to represent a patients condition. The determination of what is submitted is based on the Medicare Carriers.
In the Ground Ambulance Services section of the ambulance fee schedule, there are seven categories of ground ambulance services (“ground” refers to both land and water transportation ) and two categories of air ambulance services. The level of service is based on the patient’s condition, not the vehicle used. This is a challenge for many coders.#N#In addition to the HCPCS Level II procedure codes and standard set of modifiers (see Chart A), a unique set of modifiers (see Chart B) are required to identify the origin and destination, which are affixed to the procedure code. Mileage must also be calculated, which presents additional challenges if this information is not clearly documented (ambulance coders are all too familiar with programs that estimate mileage between pick-up and drop-off points to assure accuracy for mileage calculations).#N#Chart A: Common modifiers for ambulance services
Chart B: Specialty modifiers for reporting ambulance services (including origin and destination codes and their descriptions)
This often requires additional education for ambulance providers to assure their documentation of a patient’s conditions accurately describes when an emergency condition existed, or when an emergency transport was required.#N#CMS defines an emergency response as, “responding immediately at the BLS or ALS1 level of service to a 911 call or the equivalent.” An immediate response is defined as a response by the ambulance supplier that begins as quickly as possible to the call. Emergency response is based on internal protocols, which consider the information received during the call. The call does not have to come through a 911 system.#N#All scheduled transports are considered non-emergency, and include routine transports to nursing homes, patient homes, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) facilities.
Chart A: Common modifiers for ambulance services. GY. Use when billing for statutorily-excluded services. For example, patient transport is for a non-covered condition that does not meet the definition of any Medicare benefit. The provider is expecting a denial.
An immediate response is defined as a response by the ambulance supplier that begins as quickly as possible to the call. Emergency response is based on internal protocols, which consider the information received during the call. The call does not have to come through a 911 system.
Emergency is a quick response as from 911 call. Non-emergency is for scheduled transports. The condition of the patient is what determines the medical necessity.
SCT is required when a beneficiary’s condition requires ongoing care that must be provided by one or more health professionals in an appropriate specialty area (e.g., emergency, critical care nursing, emergency medicine, respiratory care, cardiovascular care, or a paramedic with additional training).
If you experience claim denials for not reporting a dual diagnosis, you have several options available to you.
Please refer to our Ambulance Local Coverage Article A54574 for a list of “suggested” ICD-10 codes that may be reported as a primary diagnosis. This list is not an all-inclusive list; there may be other valid ICD-10 diagnosis codes that accurately describe the patient’s condition, at the time of transport.
CPT codes, descriptions and other data only are copyright 2020 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. Applicable FARS/HHSARS apply.
This First Coast Billing and Coding Article for Local Coverage Determination (LCD) L37697 Emergency and Non-Emergency Ground Ambulance Services provides billing and coding guidance for destination limitations as well as diagnosis limitations that support diagnosis to procedure code automated denials.
Contractors may specify Bill Types to help providers identify those Bill Types typically used to report this service. Absence of a Bill Type does not guarantee that the article does not apply to that Bill Type.
Contractors may specify Revenue Codes to help providers identify those Revenue Codes typically used to report this service. In most instances Revenue Codes are purely advisory. Unless specified in the article, services reported under other Revenue Codes are equally subject to this coverage determination.
Effective with services rendered October 1, 2015 and later, the Novitas Local Coverage Determination (LCD) L35162, Ambulance Services (Ground Ambulance) requires that all ambulance transports that meet the Medicare ambulance benefit and medical necessity limitations require dual diagnosis codes reporting. A recent review of ambulance transport claims has found that providers are failing to document a secondary diagnosis.
Failure to follow the Medicare Coverage Requirements for ambulance transport may result in claim denials.