A change in the way Medicare reimburses ambulance transports has the potential to benefit patients and ease some financial burdens on Utah EMS crews, according to state leaders who oversee emergency services.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services just announced a pilot program to reimburse EMS crews for treating Medicare patients at their homes or for transporting them to a primary-care doctor.
Under current HHS policies, EMS crews only receive payment for their treatment of Medicare patients if they are transported to a hospital emergency department. “I feel like this is something that is way overdue,” said Guy Dansie, EMS program director with the Utah Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness.