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  • November 21, 2016 2:55 PM | Amanda Riordan (Administrator)

    The Florida Ambulance Association needs your help! The FAA needs accurate data from ambulance providers of all types—for-profit, non-profit, fire-based, hospital-based, private, municipal, and all combinations of the above—in order to educate Floridian legislators about key industry issues.

    Would you please complete our short survey by December 31, 2016? Please be assured that your data will be kept in strict confidence, and will be released only in aggregate statistics. Thank you in advance for your assistance with this key initiative!

    COMPLETE OUR SHORT, CONFIDENTIAL SURVEY►


  • November 15, 2016 5:03 PM | Amanda Riordan (Administrator)
    Several ambulance services across the country recently received erroneous letters from CMS Supplemental Medical Review Contractor (SMRC), StrategicHealthSolutions, LLC. These letters suggest that the ambulance service has been selected for review.


    Please note that StrategicHealthSolutions, LLC has confirmed that these letters were sent in error, and were intended only for physical therapy providers.

    Letters informing impacted ambulance services of the mistake are set to be mailed November 16.

    (Excerpted from the American Ambulance Association's November 15 Member Advisory by Brian Werfel, Esq.)

  • November 11, 2016 12:14 PM | Amanda Riordan (Administrator)

    President Eismann recommends that all FAA members keep up-to-date with the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) monthly newsletter.

    Catch up at on their site today! The November issue, just posted, includes updates on vehicle standards, REPLICA, opioid abuse, and more.

  • October 14, 2016 3:39 PM | Amanda Riordan (Administrator)

    From the First Coast Service Options website:

    First Coast Service Options Inc. (First Coast) will conduct a widespread probe (WSP) in response to an aberrant billing pattern identified for Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes A0427 (Ambulance service, advanced life support, emergency transport, level I) and A0428 (Ambulance service, basic life support, non­emergency transport). Provider type affected specialty 59 Ambulance Company. CERT reviews indicated the errors were based on insufficient documentation to support the services billed that include missing signature, signed physician certification for the ambulance transport, and clinical documentation to support medical necessity for billed ambulance services.

    First Coast will complete a WSP for dates of service February 1, 2016, to July 31, 2016, to validate the documentation supports the medical necessity and the level of ambulance service billed.

    First Coast Service Options (First Coast) strives to ensure that the information available on our provider website is accurate, detailed, and current.

    Therefore, this is a dynamic site and its content changes daily. It is best to access the site to ensure you have the most current information rather than printing articles or forms that may become obsolete without notice.


  • October 11, 2016 3:18 PM | Amanda Riordan (Administrator)

    An update from First Coast

    First Coast Service Options, your Medicare Administrative Contractor for Part A and B services in Florida, is hosting our upcoming educational symposium in Tallahassee November 2-3. If possible, would you be able to share the information below with you members? We really appreciate your help!

    First Coast’s Medicare Speaks 2016 Tallahassee  

    November 2-3, 2016, at the Four Points by Sheraton Tallahassee Downtown  

    Learn what’s trending now in the fee-for-service Medicare program. Join First Coast Service Options (First Coast), your Medicare Administrative Contractor in Florida, for our upcoming educational symposium, Medicare Speaks 2016. The event occurs in Tallahassee on November 2-3. The event features 16 classes on the Medicare program focused on reducing documentation and claim errors, minimizing payment delays, and promoting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) initiatives like MACRA. Participants can select four classes per day, or select only the individual classes of interest to meet their schedule needs.

    The cost is only $40 per class.

    Highlights

    • 16 Part A and B classes chosen by your peers -- View course schedule
    • Participation from First Coast’s operational areas such as Provider Enrollment, Customer Serviceand Provider Outreach and Education departments
    • Medicare experts available to answer your questions at “Ask the Contractor” tables
    • Continuing education credits offered

    The ideal audiences for the Part B classes include providers, billers, coders, office managers and compliance officers. Classes of particular interest for FMA members and their staff include:

    • MACRA and Medicare’s new payment reform
    • Preparing for and responding to additional documentation requests
    • Ensuring the integrity of your electronic health records
    • Preventive services
    • Coverage and billing criteria for drugs and biologicals
    • Understanding Medicare’s local and national coverage policies
    • Modifiers for same-day services
    • Learning Medicare through First Coast and CMS resources

    For additional information regarding the event, including logistics and registration, view our Medicare Speaks 2016 Tallahassee brochure.

    Register now external link through our First Coast University website

    Note: If you do not already have a free training account with First Coast University, please click here to learn how to create one.

     

    First Coast Service Options, Inc., and its affiliates are not responsible for errors or omissions in the transmission of this e-mail message. Any personal comments made in this e-mail do not reflect the views of First Coast Service Options, Inc., or its affiliates. The information contained in this document may be confidential and is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. This document may also contain material that is privileged or protected from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient or the individual responsible for delivery to the intended recipient, please (1) be advised that any use, dissemination, forwarding, or copying of this document IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED; and (2) notify sender immediately by telephone and destroy the document. Thank you.


  • September 15, 2016 9:33 AM | Amanda Riordan (Administrator)

    The Florida Ambulance Association is saddened to report that Barry M. Mogil, former CAAS reviewer and director of communications for Pinellas County, Florida EMS, passed away September 12.

    Our thoughts are with his family. Barry’s contributions to Florida EMS will not be forgotten.

    David C Gross Funeral Home Obituary

    Tampa Bay Times Obituary


  • July 25, 2016 4:47 PM | Amanda Riordan (Administrator)

    FAA members can now review meeting agendas and minutes on our new Meeting Document Archive page. Login to the site, then select Members>Meeting Documents from the top navigation.


    Questions? Contact faa@the-aaa.org for help!

  • July 13, 2016 1:14 PM | Amanda Riordan (Administrator)

    Congratulations to the New FAA Board, elected July 13, 2016 at the Orlando Membership Meeting

    Please welcome:

    • President Walter Eismann, COO, American Ambulance (LinkedIn)
    • Vice President John Peterson, CAO, Sunstar (LinkedIn, Resume)
    • Secretary Terence Ramotar, Regional Director, American Medical Response (LinkedIn)
    • Treasurer Holly Martin, Billing Supervisor, Nature Coast EMS (LinkedIn)
    • Immediate Past President Alan Skavroneck, Ambitrans 

    A big thank you to Dave Dyal, John Glover, and Mark Postma, our departing board members.

    See pictures of the new and former board on the FAA Facebook page!


  • July 12, 2016 8:08 AM | Amanda Riordan (Administrator)

    Yesterday, more than 45 FAA members gathered in Orlando for the FAA 2016 Annual Workshop. Topics covered included:

    • Brian Choate, "Reimbursement: Changing Payor Behavior"
    • Mike Hall, "Community Paramedicine Reimbursement and Sustainability"
    • Mike Hall, "Federal Update"
    • John Peterson & Malachi White, "Paramedic Recruitment & Retention"
    • Mark Postma, "CAAS GVS Standards"
    • Alan Skavroneck, "Florida Medicaid Update"
    • Brian Werfel, "Medicare & Revalidation Update"

    Slide Presentations

    FAA members can now download the slide presentations from this event in the Member Resource Library (login required).


    Event Photos

    Have you "Liked" FAA on Facebook yet? Like the Florida Ambulance Association page to check out some great photos from yesterday's event!


  • June 28, 2016 10:55 AM | Amanda Riordan (Administrator)

    The FAA leadership received the following communication from First Coast on July 20, 2016.

    Dear Florida Ambulance Association:

    First Coast Service Options (First Coast), your Medicare Administrative Contractor for the fee-for-service program in Florida, requests your help communicating important changes to your members to prevent potential loss of revenue to their practice or facility.

    Provider Enrollment Revalidation Cycle 2

    All Medicare Part A and B providers are required to recertify the accuracy of their enrollment information every five years through a process known as revalidation. The initial five year revalidation cycle was completed in 2015 and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began Cycle 2 in March 2016.

    CMS implemented improvements to streamline the revalidation process during Cycle 2. One enhancement is that CMS is establishing due dates with six months of advance notice for when the revalidation application must be received to remain compliant with Medicare’s provider enrollment requirements. CMS posts the due dates for all currently enrolled providers in the Medicare Revalidation Lookup Tool at Data.CMS.gov/revalidation. A due date of “TBD” means that CMS has not set the date yet. Please do not send a revalidation application if there is NOT a listed due date. First Coast will return any unsolicited revalidation applications received earlier than six months before the due date, or when a due date is not yet listed.

    The Revalidation Lookup Tool is updated every 60 days, so we encourage providers to check the tool periodically and respond timely once your due date is established. First Coast is also issuing notices by mail to providers two-three months before the due date.

    An important change for Cycle 2 is that failure to submit a revalidation application will result in possible deactivation of a provider’s Medicare enrollment and billing privileges. Please note other important impacts:

    • If the revalidation application is received, but additional information is requested (through development) and not received within the 30-day timeframe, the provider’s Medicare enrollment will possibly be deactivated
    • Requests for application submission extensions will not be granted
    • Be sure to submit the application fee, if applicable

    Please access the following key resources for additional information:

    This communication is from First Coast’s Provider Outreach and Education department. Please do not contact First Coast Customer Service regarding this email.