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FireBeyondtoday at 1:49 AM1 replyview on HN

As an ex-paramedic and EMT, both with County Fire and private, there are absolutely those. But many-a-time, some of the blame falls on the physician. Medicare has, for one example, a lovely little form to fill out, just a few fields, mostly checks and multiple choice, to explain why the need for a "fully equipped BLS (or ALS) ambulance" was required, versus POV (private owned vehicle) or cabulance.

The number of times we'd have to hang out at the charge nurse's desk because the physician had scrawled a signature at the bottom of the form and nothing else, etc., was ... staggering.

If that doesn't give that reasoning (unable to stand steady, fall hazard, need for continuous O2, etc., etc., etc.) then no pay. And many insurers would use that same paperwork, not just Medicare. Could we fill it out ourselves? No. I'm not risking my EMS career to be at the center of a "ambulance company employees charged with medicare fraud" news story.


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t-writescodetoday at 6:13 AM

> or cabulance

I'm sorry, are insurance companies now demanding that people use Ubers to get to the hospital?

... do they reimburse those charges? Because wtf.

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