New Medicare Rules Coming For Dialysis Patients In Pennsylvania And New Jersey
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A crackdown on Medicare fraud will affect dialysis patients in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Both states are part of a pilot project to cut down on ambulance trips to treatment.
Federal health officials say from 2002 to 2011, ambulance rides to dialysis increased by more than a thousand percent in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Their goal is to reduce costs by having patients get pre-approved before they take an ambulance to treatment.
Officials say there will be no additional paperwork or any delay in treatment, just the same information at an earlier point in the process so the patients know beforehand if the costs are covered by Medicare.
The program goes into effect in two weeks so patients can start submitting claim forms today. If it shows significant savings, it will likely be expanded and eventually take effect nationwide.
Another pilot project also requires prior authorization for hyperbaric oxygen therapy in New Jersey.
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