PDFWAC 182-546-0500

Payment for ground ambulance services in special circumstances.

(1) When more than one client is transported in the same ground ambulance at the same time, the provider must bill the medical assistance administration (MAA):
(a) At a reduced base rate for the additional client, and
(b) No mileage charge for the additional client.
(2) MAA pays an ambulance provider at the appropriate base rate (BLS or ALS) if no transportation takes place because the client died at the scene of the illness or injury but the ambulance crew provided medical interventions/supplies to the client at the scene prior to the client's death. See WAC 388-546-0450(1) for examples of medical interventions associated with each base rate. The intervention(s)/supplies provided must be documented in the client's record. No mileage charge is allowed with the base rate when the client dies at the scene of the illness or injury after medical interventions/supplies are provided but before transport takes place.
(3) In situations where a BLS entity provides the transport of the client and an ALS entity provides a service that meets MAA's fee schedule definition of an ALS intervention, the BLS provider may bill MAA the ALS rate for the transport, provided a written reimbursement agreement between the BLS and ALS entities exists. The provider must give MAA a copy of the agreement upon request. If there is no written agreement between the BLS and ALS entities, MAA will pay only for the BLS level of service.
(4) In areas that distinguish between residents and nonresidents, MAA must be billed the same rate for ambulance services provided to a client in a particular jurisdiction as would be billed by that provider to the general public in the same jurisdiction.
[WSR 11-14-075, recodified as § 182-546-0500, filed 6/30/11, effective 7/1/11. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.057, 74.08.090, and 74.09.510. WSR 04-17-118, § 388-546-0500, filed 8/17/04, effective 9/17/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.09.500, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, and 74.04.057. WSR 01-03-084, § 388-546-0500, filed 1/16/01, effective 2/16/01.]