Medicare does not pay for an ambulance transport when the patient can be transported safely by other means. If a patient is transported via Wheelchair or Gurney Van, they would have been considered transported safely by other means.

Ultimately, the guarantor of the health insurance (quite often that is the patient), is responsible for the transportation charges. If we feel that the transport is a covered service of your insurance, then we will make every effort to receive payment from your insurance.

The AOB form refers to two things: (1) The form allows us to directly bill Medicare and (2): we accept the amount that Medicare is paying as payment in full (not counting any deductible or co-pays that exist). If a family member or another individual who is familiar with the patient signs the form, in no way is that person accepting financial responsibility for the transport.

Amazingly enough, it does not. For certain ambulance transports, Medicare requires that a Physician or other authorized signer must sign a Physician Certification Statement (PCS). This form basically says that at the time of transport, the patient could not safely be transported by other means and that an ambulance was needed. Medicare specifically notes within their guidelines that a signed PCS does not guarantee payment.