CMS Plans to Expand RSNAT All Across America

CMS (The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services) works for quality care and optimized performance in the healthcare industry. The healthcare industry leaders are focusing on every aspect and taking measures step-by-step to simplify operations.

Apart from announcing advancements in medical billing services and other healthcare operations, they also consider aspects of non-emergent care.

Recently, CMS announced to expand Medicare Prior Authorization Model for Repetitive, Scheduled Non-Emergent Ambulance Transport (RSNAT) across all America.

According to CMS, before the expansion process, RSNAT Prior Authorization Model will test the need for prior authorization of services.

What will be the outcome if outsourcing medical billing services seek approval before the service is rendered or before they send the due claim to the payer? Will it save cash for Medicare while trying to achieve quality healthcare for repetitive, scheduled non-emergency ambulance transportation?

Let’s find out.

CMS implemented this model in several states of America

An Overview

Such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia during different years to test out its implications.

The results were quite astonishing and encouraging to say the least. The quality of care and easy access to essential services were maintained as expected. Statistics show that Medicare Prior Authorization Model for Repetitive, Scheduled Non-Emergent Ambulance Transport saved around $650 million over four years.

The Need to Implement a New Model

Medical billing services used to face problems related to improper/inconsistent Medicare payments for non-emergent ambulance transports. There was a much-needed room for a new payment model that promotes cost efficiency and counters risks related to payments.

And, CMS wants to ensure proactive measures that minimize fraudulent activities.

Is the New Model Successful?

The first evaluation report of this program came under analysis in 2018 and based on that, CMS is hopeful to expand it nationwide to curb down Medicare Spending. The recently released second evaluation report also highlighted that the use of RSNAT is reduced by 63% and its respective spending is reduced by 72% overall. (The report results were concerning the end-stage renal disease and/or severe pressure ulcers during the first four years of the model.) However, it supported the previous assumption that it is safe to implement this program everywhere. There was also no evidence against this system that reflected poor healthcare quality.

CMS has made clear that across the board accountability, lesser loopholes for frauds, simplified solutions, and expanses in check will make a progressive healthcare system. Moreover, with the new plan, medical billing services, physicians, and patients, all will be benefitted in one way or another.

CMS administrator, Seema Verma says that although medical billing experts complain about the complexity of prior authorization. But, with a proper plan of action and accurate deployment of the model, Medicare can ensure that its requirements are met even before the start of the service.

One more advantage of this system is that billing experts on behalf of physicians don’t have to indulge in extra administrative work afterward.

Henceforth, the program will continue to run in the currents states although they were expected to end this year. But, the success of the new model of non-emergency ambulance transportation changed the whole view.

CMS will release new guidelines regarding the expansion in every state. The model will remain the same as the existing model.

It is expected that medical billing outsourcing companies will find this new model accommodating with respect to maintaining cost.