Ask Billing Questions Here!

[broken stretcher]

When we get called by PD either to the scene or to their stations for prisoner evals or for 9.41 transports (psych), who pays for this. Like mentioned above, the pt did not activate the 911 system the police officer did.

 

[unleashedfury]

When we get called by PD either to the scene or to their stations for prisoner evals or for 9.41 transports (psych), who pays for this. Like mentioned above, the pt did not activate the 911 system the police officer did.

I know in my system if we do a eval for the PD who have a prisoner in custody if its a non transport. We do it out of courtesy, being that PD shows up on EMS calls a lot of times to assist us Since our PD requires you to be a certified EMT at minimum to maintain your job they keep a first aid bag and AED with them and help with lifting or problem patients.

If we transport for psych its billed to the patients insurance, if no insurance I believe they try through the Medicaid (state funded insurance) fund.

 

[BillingSpecialist]

What does one have to do to learn billing? I mean is there a certification or degree requirement?

I look at it this way, I am not gonna be a youngin forever. and if it means I end up in the back office do admin or billing. I'd be ok with that. That and I am a information guru I love to learn new things so learning the billing aspect of my job would be cool

There is a really good conference offered by Page, Wolfberg & Wirth. There is a link on their website to take a certified ambulance coder class. There conferences are a little on the pricey side, but they are worth EVERY cent.

 

[BillingSpecialist]

Not sure if you're still around. I don't really mind if anyone answers this.

I was wondering if the patient's social security number, height, and weight is at all useful for billing? If so, how so?

Sorry about the delay. I've been busy caught up in other things & am just now getting around to checking in.

SS# is important for the billing side, we can do lots of searches with the ss# in regards to their insurance. For example most of the State Medicaids will allow you to search by SS# & Date of Birth to see if there is coverage. We've tracked down alot of insurances with a patient's ss#. Also the ss# is useful if a company decides to send any outstanding accounts to a collection agency. The height and weight are only important if they are related to the transport. Like if you are transporting an obese patient, the weight would be important.

 

[UnkiEMT]

Sorry about the delay. I've been busy caught up in other things & am just now getting around to checking in.

SS# is important for the billing side, we can do lots of searches with the ss# in regards to their insurance. For example most of the State Medicaids will allow you to search by SS# & Date of Birth to see if there is coverage. We've tracked down alot of insurances with a patient's ss#. Also the ss# is useful if a company decides to send any outstanding accounts to a collection agency. The height and weight are only important if they are related to the transport. Like if you are transporting an obese patient, the weight would be important.

Odd, the word has come down from our biller that we need to have weights listed on our IFT PCS because Medicare is pitching a fit.

I wonder if that's just a matter of always getting one so we don't miss one on the occasion that it's relevant to the reason for transport.

 

[18G]

Is a Physicians Certification Statement (PCS) required for patients being transported inter-facility from a government VA Hospital?

I have heard yes because VA benefit recipients can still have medicare and I have also heard that no we don't because both the VA and medicare are government agencies (ie basically the same entity). Surprisingly, conflicting information has come from within my organization.

Thanks!

 

[BillingSpecialist]

Odd, the word has come down from our biller that we need to have weights listed on our IFT PCS because Medicare is pitching a fit.

I wonder if that's just a matter of always getting one so we don't miss one on the occasion that it's relevant to the reason for transport.

I have not experienced that issue at all. Not saying that it isn't possible, because Medicare always comes out with these odd things they feel need to be done on a transport. Most of my companies are out of West Virginia & Virginia, and it is not effecting us here.

If your billler has requested that the weight be entered, then you better do it...no one wants a mad biller

 

[BillingSpecialist]

Is a Physicians Certification Statement (PCS) required for patients being transported inter-facility from a government VA Hospital?

I have heard yes because VA benefit recipients can still have medicare and I have also heard that no we don't because both the VA and medicare are government agencies (ie basically the same entity). Surprisingly, conflicting information has come from within my organization.

Thanks!

A medical necessity should ALWAYS be obtained on an inter-facility or non emergency trip regardless of the insurance. Treat every insurance as though they are Medicare. I've seen several different payers deny if there's no medical necessity on non-emergency trips.

VA recipients can have Medicare. This line "no we don't because both the VA and medicare are government agencies (ie basically the same entity)," make no sense to me If they are basically the same entity then why would it be required for Medicare and not the VA.

 

[unleashedfury]

First thanks for the info..

Second we have a 3rd party billing service, and I am curious as to a few things.

1. The Signature release sheet. after transporting a patient we are required to get a signature for a HIPPA release, and billing release which has been industry standard for a while now. I am ok with that. What has me a bit confused here is since its easier for us to make a scratch sheet/run sheet and the signature sheet the same paper (we have signatures on one side the other side has call related information) Patients name location of dispatch date times vitals etc. Our billing company now wants both sides to be completed in its entirety and attached to the PCR or chart. We were told that this is required for appropriate billing as it shows "medical necessity"

I was getting a lot of crap over it because I don't use them. These sheets are on legal document paper size 8.5 x 14, and are big bulky and look like crap when your trying to write notes in a moving ambulance. I tend to write all my information in shorthand on a index card or on a ECG strip. I believe if I have to have my hands tied up playing clipboard EMT im not treating my patient. So I would never fill these things out just the signature side and complete my assessment findings/ vital signs and treatment plan in the electronic charting. Now we are required to complete all of it. Is there a reason behind having to write out a chart and hand write a scratch sheet? My previous service had similar sheets with your scratch part on one side and signature sheets on the back. Never complained once that I never wrote them out.

 

[BillingSpecialist]

First thanks for the info..

Second we have a 3rd party billing service, and I am curious as to a few things.

1. The Signature release sheet. after transporting a patient we are required to get a signature for a HIPPA release, and billing release which has been industry standard for a while now. I am ok with that. What has me a bit confused here is since its easier for us to make a scratch sheet/run sheet and the signature sheet the same paper (we have signatures on one side the other side has call related information) Patients name location of dispatch date times vitals etc. Our billing company now wants both sides to be completed in its entirety and attached to the PCR or chart. We were told that this is required for appropriate billing as it shows "medical necessity"

I was getting a lot of crap over it because I don't use them. These sheets are on legal document paper size 8.5 x 14, and are big bulky and look like crap when your trying to write notes in a moving ambulance. I tend to write all my information in shorthand on a index card or on a ECG strip. I believe if I have to have my hands tied up playing clipboard EMT im not treating my patient. So I would never fill these things out just the signature side and complete my assessment findings/ vital signs and treatment plan in the electronic charting. Now we are required to complete all of it. Is there a reason behind having to write out a chart and hand write a scratch sheet? My previous service had similar sheets with your scratch part on one side and signature sheets on the back. Never complained once that I never wrote them out.

As long as you are getting the patient's signature for the HIPPA release and billing release signed, you should be able to use either. As long as your scratch sheet has the same wording as what's on the back of the run. I bill for several companies that that have created "mock" forms that they use and they all work just fine.

My company offers EMS Charts to all of our clients and they have the ability to have the patients sign directly on their IPad or Tough Book and it attaches itself to the chart. I'm not sure what EPCR system you use, but they may have something similar.

 

[unleashedfury]

As long as you are getting the patient's signature for the HIPPA release and billing release signed, you should be able to use either. As long as your scratch sheet has the same wording as what's on the back of the run. I bill for several companies that that have created "mock" forms that they use and they all work just fine.

My company offers EMS Charts to all of our clients and they have the ability to have the patients sign directly on their IPad or Tough Book and it attaches itself to the chart. I'm not sure what EPCR system you use, but they may have something similar.

We use EMS Charts.. however my company is too cheap to buy iPads, Laptops or anything to eliminate cutting down trees.

 

[BillingSpecialist]

We use EMS Charts.. however my company is too cheap to buy iPads, Laptops or anything to eliminate cutting down trees.

LOL!! Well maybe that will change one day!