If you are enrolled in Medicare and you need ambulance services, Medicare will cover up to 80% of the approved costs, which includes emergency and certain non-emergency services. After meeting your deductible, you will cover 20% of the costs for these services. However, most ambulance rides are within the amount approved by Medicare.
After you meet your deductible, Medicare will only cover ambulance services if it is for emergencies or medically necessary services and transportation in a non-emergency vehicle would harm your health. Medicare will also cover the transportation costs to the nearest medical facility. If you request to go to a hospital that’s farther away, your transportation services may not be covered. For regular non-emergency transportation in an ambulance, you may need a recommendation from your doctor stating why you need the service.
Medicare also covers the cost of transportation in an airplane or helicopter if you need emergency treatment and you cannot be transported to an appropriate facility through ground transportation.
Which Part of Medicare Covers Ambulance Services
If you are enrolled in Original Medicare, Medicare Part B will cover the approved costs of ambulance services. If you need medical treatment during the transportation, such as oxygen or intravenous medications, the costs of the treatment will be covered under transport billing and paid under Medicare Part B.
Apart from Medicare Part B, ambulance services are also covered under Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage plans are required to cover the same services as Original Medicare, so whatever Part B covers, a Medicare Advantage plan will also cover. To enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, you must be enrolled in Original Medicare.
Costs
If you are enrolled in Original Medicare, Medicare Part B will cover 80% of the approved costs for ambulance services after you meet your deductible. After the 80% is covered, you will be responsible for the remaining 20%. If you have out-of-pocket costs left over, you can always look into enrolling in a Medicare Supplement plan. These plans supplement Original Medicare and will provide coverage for costs such as coinsurance or deductibles.
If you need more information about Medicare and the services it covers, reach out to Game Changing Benefits today! We will walk you through all the Medicare options so you have an understanding of each part.