Providers vs Suppliers - JE Part B

Ambulance Providers

• Owns and operates an ambulance transportation service which provides assistance to its institutionally based operations. Such as:
  • Hospitals
  • Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)
  • Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs)
  • Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (CORFs)
  • Home Health Agencies (HHAs)
  • Hospice programs

Although transports are covered under Medicare Part B, typically Medicare Part A includes beneficiary transports from one provider to another when he/she has inpatient hospital, CAH or SNF status.

Part A covers transports as a SNF service when the below are met.

• Beneficiary must be a SNF resident
• Transport must be provided for covered SNF service
• Reimbursement is provided under Part A for service rendered
  • If service rendered is excluded from SNF Part A, transport may be payable under Medicare Part B

Ambulance Suppliers

• Not owned or operated by a provider and is enrolled in Medicare as an independent ambulance supplier. Such as:
  • Volunteer fire and/or ambulance companies
  • Local government ambulance companies
  • Privately-owned and operated ambulance companies
  • Independently-owned and operated ambulance companies