The American Ambulance Association released on March 10 its 2014 State Medicaid Rate Survey results.  During the past few weeks, members of AAA’s Medicare Regulatory Committee researched the Medicaid rates paid to ambulance service providers in every state, and consolidated that information into a single reference guide.

With this year’s Rate Survey, the Committee also added a chart showing the status of crossover payments for dual-eligible patients (i.e., beneficiaries with both Medicare and Medicaid).

Federal Medicaid monies are distributed to each State, and each State is responsible for establishing a Medicaid rate paid for modes of transportation to cover its insured beneficiaries, to include ambulance transportation.

Below is a chart showing Wisconsin’s Medicaid ambulance rate and that of surrounding states from AAA's Medicaid Rate Survey.

STATE	BLS	ALS	ALS-2	PER MILE	OXYGEN	SUPPLIES
Wisconsin	$94.90	$113.88	$260.97	$5.56	$14.73	$14.73
Illinois (Lake County)	$127.34	$198.49	$198.49	$5.00	$15.05
Iowa	$69.98	$113.29		$2.16	$10.79	$4.32
Michigan	$105.32	$191.88	$191.88	$3.27
Minnesota	$206.33	$250.06	$573.13	$6.97

Prior to having knowledge of the AAA Medicaid Rate Survey, the Professional Ambulance Association of Wisconsin’s Board of Directors on January 9, 2014 identified Wisconsin’s Medicaid rates as an area of concern.  Wisconsin ambulance providers have not received a Medicaid fee increase in many years.  PAAW established a committee to further discuss Medicaid rates, with one potential idea being reimbursement that matches the Federal Medicare fee schedule.

PAAW also completed a webcast interview in advance of the AAA State Medicaid Rate Survey being announced.  To listen to the interview with Tristan North, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the AAA in Washington DC, click here.

AAA members may log-in to view the 2014 State Medicaid Rate Survey by clicking here.

Source:  American Ambulance Association