EMS Organizations that Bill for Transport Receiving Stimulus Funding

April 17, 2020

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act contains stimulus money for emergency medical services organizations that bill for transporting patients to hospital emergency departments. According to the Department of Health and Human Service, stimulus payments will total approximately 6.2 percent of Medicare fee for service (not including Medicare Advantage) payments in 2019.

For many agencies, the stimulus payment showed up by surprise.

“We receive Medicare reimbursement payments automatically, and this week there was extra money from the CARES Act stimulus,” said National Volunteer Fire Council EMS/Rescue Section Chair Eric Quinney, who is also the chief administrative officer for Uinta County (WY) Fire and Ambulance. “I hadn’t realized that ambulance services would be getting money sent directly to us without having to do anything.”

The law firm of Page, Wolfberg, and Wirth has developed several COVID-19 FAQ pages on the stimulus payments that provide more detail about how they work and what to do if you haven’t received your payment yet.