Effective Date: January 1, 2009

Implementation Date: January 5, 2009

Section 1834(l) (3) (B) of the Social Security Act (the Act) provides the basis for updating payment limits that contractors use to determine how much to allow for ambulance services.

The payment update is equal to the percentage increase in the urban consumer price index (CPI-U), for the 12-month period ending with June of the previous year. The resulting percentage is referred to as the ambulance inflation factor (AIF). The calendar year (CY) 2009 AIF will be 5.0 percent.

In addition, effective for dates of service January 1, 2009, and later, contractors shall no longer pay the 25 percent bonus payment for each loaded ambulance mile greater than 50 miles for a ground ambulance trip (as previously directed in CR 3099, dated June 25, 2004).

Additional information is available on the CMS Web site. Here is the link to the MLN Matters article MM6113 .