CMS proposes that ambulance service beneficiary signature requirement be relaxed

Ambulance services may have a little extra paperwork to do (CMS estimate: just 5 minutes per run, though that starts to adds up . . .), but then won’t be dinged if they fail to get a beneficiary or representative signature in advance of an emergency transport.  The description of the proposed rule change is to be published in the July 12 Federal Register, as one of the many bonus add-ins to the publication of the 2008 Medicare physician fee schedule. 

Big headache ahead for ambulance services: one thing to get in lieu of the patient signature is a signature from the receiving hospital. 

If finalized, the rule will take effect October 1. 

— David Harlow