COVID-19 Information For Providers
Ambulance and Transportation Services
All information contained on this page is applicable only during the declared pandemic time period or other time frames specified below. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the information contained on this page and the contents of the UCare Provider Manual, the information on this page shall control during the identified time frame.
PAGE LAST UPDATED JUNE 17, 2020
Non-Emergency Transportation – UCare State Public Programs
Effective April 20, 2020, and through the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Commissioner has waived the need for providers to get signatures when providing non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT). UCare will implement the same waiver and timeline with our contracted providers.
Ambulance and Other Transportation – UCare Medicare Plans and State Public Programs Products (when Medicare is the Primary Benefit)
Effective March 1, 2020, and through the COVID 19 public health emergency, medically necessary emergency and non-emergency ground ambulance transports from any point of origin to a destination that is equipped to treat the condition of the patient consistent with state and local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) protocols in use where the services are being furnished. These destinations include:
- Any location that is an alternative site determined to be part of a hospital, Community Access Hospital (CAH) or skilled nursing facility (SNF)
- Community mental health centers
- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC)
- Physician’s offices
- Urgent care facilities
- Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs)
- Any other location furnishing dialysis services outside of the end stage renal disease (ESRD) facility
- The beneficiary’s home
CMS expanded the descriptions for the origin and destination claim modifiers to identify the new temporarily covered locations. The additional ambulance modifiers are outlined below:
- D Modifier - Community mental health center, FQHC, Rural Health Clinics (RHC), urgent care facility, non-provider-based ASC or freestanding emergency center, location furnishing dialysis services and not affiliated with ESRD facility
- E Modifier – Residential, domiciliary, custodial facility (other than 1819 facility) if the facility is the beneficiary’s home
- H Modifier - Alternative care site for hospital, including CAH, provider-based ASC, or freestanding emergency center
- N Modifier - Alternative care site for SNF
- P Modifier - Physician’s office
- R Modifier - Beneficiary’s home
For the complete list of ambulance origin and destination claim modifiers refer to the Medicare Claims Processing Manual Chapter 15 (PDF), Section 30 A.