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Medicare Rate Calculator & Forecasting Tool Medicare On July 15, 2008, Congress enacted the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) which contained Medicare ambulance relief. MIPPA included 2% urban and 3% rural increases to both the base and mileage rates under the Medicare ambulance fee schedule. The relief began retroactively on July 1, 2008 and expires on December 31, 2009. Over the 18-month period, the provision provides an estimated $170 million in relief to ambulance service providers and suppliers. The Medicare ambulance relief contained in MIPPA is a partial extension of expired relief provided in the Medicare Modernization Act which was signed into law on December 8, 2003. That law included several provisions that provided relief to ambulance service providers. While the 1% urban and 2% rural increases have expired, the 50+ mileage bump expires on December 31, 2008 and the “super rural” bonus and regional fee schedule (although now only 20% of the reimbursement calculation) provisions expire on December 31, 2009. To assist its members in determining the effect of the MIPPA and remaining MMA provisions and annual updates on their individual operations, the AAA has developed an impact analysis tool which will automatically compute your new reimbursement base and mileage rates. All you need to do is enter a zip code and select the transport level and your new rates for 2008 will be calculated for you. The July 15, 2008 version of the Medicare Ambulance Impact Analysis Tool reflects the unofficial 5.0% inflation increase for 2009 as well as the new zip codes and Geographical Price Cost Index (GPCI) figures. Medicare Rate Calculator and Forecasting Tool (Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet) |
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