CMS extends, expands non-emergency ground ambulance and home health moratoria

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today announced the extension and expansion of moratoria on the enrollment of new non-emergency ground ambulance suppliers and home health agencies. Moratoria had applied to new non-emergency ambulance suppliers in specific metropolitan areas in Texas, Pennsylvania and New Jersey and to new HHAs in specific metropolitan areas in Florida, Texas, Michigan and Illinois. However, the agency will now expand these moratoria statewide. In addition, CMS announced that it will waive these statewide enrollment moratoria on a case-by-case basis in response to access to care issues; providers and suppliers enrolling via such waivers will be subject to heightened screening, oversight and investigations. CMS is also lifting its moratorium on emergency ground ambulance suppliers. These changes apply to the Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs and are effective today.