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Table of Contents

Section 1011: Federal Reimbursement of Emergency Health Services Furnished to Undocumented Aliens – An Update
Forwarded from CMS

AAA Faces & Spaces Audio Conference Next Week! Register NOW!

SCT and Hospice Transport Survey

Now Available: Traffic Signal Preemption for Emergency Vehicles: A Cross-Cutting Study
Forwarded by NHTSA/Office of EMS

Rural Health Fact Sheets
Forwarded from CMS

“Secrets of Successful EMS Leaders” by Mike Taigman and Stephen DeanNow Available on AAA-Link

Member Question: Any British Nationals Working in the U.S.?

AAA News Clipping Service Renewals due by June 1!!!

2006 Summer Reimbursement Conference -- Indianapolis, Indiana

ASM 2007 Session

Section 1011: Federal Reimbursement of Emergency Health Services Furnished to Undocumented Aliens – An Update
Forwarded from CMS

Physicians, hospitals and ambulance services that provide emergency health services to undocumented aliens should be aware that The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) (Section 1011) provides $250 million each year, for Fiscal Years (FY) 2005-2008, for payments to eligible providers for emergency health services given to undocumented and other specified aliens.  You may not be receiving funds that are available to you for services you furnish to undocumented aliens. We have prepared a Special Edition article to inform and/or remind you about these available funds.

Please click on the following address for more details:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0633.pdf

AMERICAN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION
presents



Faces and Spaces - Audio Conference

Wednesday, May 24, 2006 f  3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (EST)
Presented by:
Jon Swanson, Executive Director
Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services  
  
Learn to predict trends in staffing and an effective means of retention calculation

Faces and Spaces is a basic introduction to a methodology for:

• Learning to predict your staffing needs

• Defining and counting the number of people currently employed.

• Tracking and calculating your turnover rate

Sign up today for the audio conference using the attached registration form!

Please Note:  Questions should be sent by e-mail to AAA Manager of Member Services and Public Affairs Stacy Bromley at sbromley@the-aaa.org.

 © Copyrighted: AAA 2006 – The use of language contained within this document is prohibited without first the consent of the American Ambulance Association.

SCT and Hospice Transport Survey

We need more ambulance service providers to complete our SCT and Hospice Survey.  It will only take 5 minutes to fill out the survey once you retrieve your claim data.  So if you or one of your staff have not already taken the survey, please do so by Monday, May 22.

To access the survey, go to: http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB22595SXPL3R

The AAA will be meeting with officials with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to discuss the downgrading of SCT claims to ALS as well as denials of SCT claims.  However, we need to gather data on the extent of the problem before approaching CMS officials.  If you are not the appropriate individual with your organization to complete the survey, please forward this e-mail to a member of your billing staff so that he or she can complete it.  Thank you.

Now Available: Traffic Signal Preemption for Emergency Vehicles: A Cross-Cutting Study
Forwarded by NHTSA/Office of EMS

NOW AVAILABLE: Traffic Signal Preemption for Emergency Vehicles: A Cross-Cutting Study
http://www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/jpodocs/repts_te/14097.htm, EDL# 14097
The sudden appearance of an emergency vehicle en route to its destination can be extremely disruptive to nearby vehicles as individual drivers maneuver to get out of the way. Some drivers become confused and create conflicts that can cause secondary crashes or block lanes that increase response times. Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technology can preempt the regular timing of traffic signals, thus providing a green light to an emergency vehicle at all intersections through which it travels. These emergency vehicle preemption (EVP) systems have been in use in selected locations across the country for over 30 years, where they have demonstrated their ability to reduce secondary crashes and improve emergency response times.

The ITS Joint Program Office is pleased to announce the online availability of "Traffic Signal Preemption for Emergency Vehicles: A Cross-Cutting Study." Developed jointly by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NTHSA), this study presents the benefits, costs, extent of deployment, technology options, and lessons learned associated with emergency vehicle preemption. This study examines three EVP examples in depth, discussing how the traffic, emergency services and preemption systems all operate in an integrated fashion. The study offers valuable lessons learned in the areas of institutional issues, public acceptance, driver training, installation, and maintenance.

For more information about the cross-cutting study, contact Linda Dodge of the ITS Joint Program Office, (202) 366-8032, Linda.Dodge@fhwa.dot.gov.

Printed copies of the cross-cutting study will be mailed to interested individuals in the coming weeks. To order your copy, send an e-mail message with shipping directions to itspubs@fhwa.dot.gov.

Rural Health Fact Sheets
Forwarded from CMS

The Medicare Learning Network's Rural Health Fact Sheet Series is now available in print format.  The series includes information on the following topics:
* Rural Referral Centers
* Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospitals
* Rural Health Clinics
* Critical Access Hospital Programs
* Federally Qualified Health Centers
* Sole Community Hospitals

Secrets of Successful EMS Leaders

“The Power of Purpose”

Presented By Mike Taigman and Stephen Dean

May 2006 lesson now available on the AAA-LINK

The popular audio tape series “Secrets of Successful EMS Leaders” by Mike Taigman and Stephen Dean is being posted as a monthly series FREE of charge as a  member benefit on the AAA-LINK.   Each month a new module will be posted.  Listen to the series online or download to your MP3 Player.  The series is also being distributed to all AAA member companies who have set up private LINK systems with EMSED.COM.    You can access the AAA-LINK at:  http://key.emsed.com .  A userid and password are required.  For more information or to sign up for a FREE userid and password call EMSED.COM at 877-435-9309. 

Member Question:

A television production company in England recently contacted the AAA. They are trying to find British Nationals trained in the emergency services who are living and working abroad. If you are, or know someone who is, please email sbromley@the-aaa.org.

KEEP UP WITH CURRENT NEWS IN THE EMS INDUSTRY…

AAA News Clipping Service

NOW delivering directly, via e-mail, EMS stories appearing both in LOCAL and NATIONAL media outlets.

SEARCH over 100,000 Daily & Weekly Newspapers, Magazines & Trade Journals, and the Internet for the most UP-TO-DATE NEWS!

SIGN UP NOW for $99 and receive FREE
e-mail updates for 2006!
(NOTE: $200 for Non-Members)

2006 Summer Healthcare Reimbursement Conference

July 11 - July 15, 2006

Join us in Indianapolis for the American Ambulance Association’s 2006 Summer Healthcare Reimbursement Conference.

Indianapolis will host the American Ambulance Association’s 2006 Summer Healthcare Reimbursement Conference.

You will get the most up-to-date information on Medicare reimbursement with Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to share their insight regarding industry issues and the most current Condition Codes changes.

David Werfel, Esq., AAA’s reimbursement legal expert, will share current hot topics for the ambulance industry and in two different panel discussions, ambulance industry experts will present their billing and collection “best practices” and how to avoid common problems in collections.
Former AAA President, Jerry Overton, will examine the IOM report and its impact on the EMS industry.

We invite you and your staff to join us in Indianapolis to participate in a dynamic educational experience by learning from the experts with proven track records of success. Through education, interaction and networking we are able to help you improve your company’s bottom line and optimize your service to your community.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND THIS CONFERENCE:
- AAA Members
- Members of AAA Committees
- Billing Personnel
- Carriers and Intermediaries
- Ambulance Industry Professionals

ASM 2006 Spring -> SOLD OUT!

ASM 2006 Summer -> SOLD OUT!

NOW ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS FOR ASM IN 2007

Now accepting enrollment for the 2007 session of the Ambulance Service Manager (ASM) Program.  Reserve your place today!

2007 Ambulance Service Manager (ASM)
The ASM Program is sponsored by the American Ambulance Association (AAA) and is for aspiring, new, and experienced managers who wish to develop their leadership competencies and sharpen essential management skills.  The program provides a broad foundational curriculum matching cutting edge management theory with real-life practical applications.

The ASM Program is a certification course designed to immerse participants in an engaging learning cohort.  A small group of 40 participants moves together through two weeks of face-to-face instruction and experiential learning led by industry leading faculty bridged by several weeks of online discussion and group project work.

ASM Graduates will:

Dates for the 2007 program are:

• Online Session Begins: January 29, 2007
• On-site Week 1: February 25-March 2, 2007
• On-site Week 2: April 29 - May 4, 2007
  

Go to http://www.fitchassoc.com/Services/conferences.htm to download the brochure and registration materials. 

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