Ambulances Services Center

CMS has two reminders for selected ground ambulance organizations that are required to report under the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS) (posted on May 2, 2023):

1. Selected Ground Ambulance Organizations in Year 1 and Year 2 that Reported A Data Collection Period of January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022:
   
   You have a 5-month data reporting period after your data collection periods ends, that is January 1, 2023 – May 31, 2023, to report data. If you haven’t already, you should report your continuous 12-month data collection period to the GADCS portal. Please refer to this document for more information on how to access the system: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/quick-tips-registration-and-requesting-access-gadcs-portal.pdf.
2. Selected Ground Ambulance Organizations in Year 3 and Year 4 that Haven’t Reported Their Initial Data Requirements:
   
   Selected ground ambulance organizations in Year 3 and Year 4 should have received a notification letter from your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) about this requirement. Notifications were sent to the contact address in the Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS) enrollment record linked to each selected NPI. You are required to report your organization’s initial data requirement (start date of your data collection period and contact information) at this website: www.palmettogba.com/GADCS_initial_submission.
   
   Our system automatically calculates the data collection period when you enter the start date. The start date for your organization’s continuous 12-month data collection period must begin in 2023. 

Visit Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System for:

• Lists of ground ambulance organizations selected in Years 1–2 required to collect information starting in 2022 and report information starting in 2023
• Organizations selected in Years 3–4 required to collect information starting in 2023 and report information starting in 2024

• FAQs

Ambulance Fee Schedule: Calendar Year (CY) 2023 Ambulance Inflation Factor & Productivity Adjustment

The Ambulance Inflation Factor for CY 2023 is 8.7%. For more information, see the instruction to your Medicare Administrative Contractor (PDF).

2 Calendar Year (CY) 2023 Final Rules About Ambulance Services:

CY 2023 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2022-23873/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-cy-2023-payment-policies-under-the-physician-fee-schedule-and-other

CMS finalized a series of changes to the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System. First, we updated our regulations at § 414.626(d)(1) and (e)(2) to provide the necessary flexibility to specify how ground ambulance organizations should submit the hardship exemption requests and informal review requests, including to our web-based portal once that portal is operational. Second, we  finalized further changes and clarifications to the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection Instrument.

CY 2023 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center final rule: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2022-23918/medicare-program-hospital-outpatient-prospective-payment-and-ambulatory-surgical-center-payment

CMS finalized its proposals to include REHs as a covered origin and destination for ambulance transport under the Ambulance Fee Schedule and that a REH that owns and operates an ambulance transportation may enroll in Medicare as an ambulance provider and receive payment under the Ambulance Fee Schedule if all coverage and payment requirements are met.

Updated Information on the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS):

CMS has posted the following documents:

1. GADCS User Guide that walks you through the GADCS. 
2. Lists of Year 3 and Year 4 selected ground ambulance organizations. These organizations will receive notification letters via email and regular mail from their Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) starting in December 2022.
3. Revised Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection Instrument which includes the changes that were finalized in the CY 2023 PFS Final Rule.
4. Revised Facilities and Vehicle Templates.  We revised the templates that we presented on our August 4, 2022 webinar.
5. A copy of the Hardship Exemption Request Form.

6. Revised GADCS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document.

7. Ground Ambulance Industry Trends, 2017– 2020 Report: Analysis of Medicare Fee-for-Service Claims.

8. Five Top GADCS Tips for Selected Ground Ambulance Organizations in Year 1 and Year 2 that are Required to Report Beginning in January 2023.

Contact Us  

• Subscribe for email updates
• General ambulance inquiries: email AmbulanceODF@cms.hhs.gov
• Ground ambulance data collection inquiries: email AmbulanceDataCollection@cms.hhs.gov. Please include your organization’s name and National Provider Identifier (NPI) in your inquiry.
• Regional office inquiries: email FeeForServiceQuestions@cms.hhs.gov

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Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System  

Effective January 1, 2020-2024, CMS will select ground ambulance providers and suppliers to participate in the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS). Get more Medicare GADCS information and resources.
 

COVID-19 Information:

• COVID-19 FAQs on Medicare Fee For Service Billing (PDF): See page 48 for Ambulance Services FAQs
• COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers (PDF) : This revised modification to the data collection periods and data reporting periods impacts ground ambulance organizations that CMS selected for Years 1-2 of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System: See page 32
  • Ambulance Treat in Place: See page 33
• Get more resources on COVID-19