CMS Source | Comments Courtesy of Matt Zavadsky

CMS is delaying the data collection and reporting period for ground ambulance organizations selected to participate in year 1 for two years and for one year for ground ambulance organizations selected to participate in year 2.

With this modification, the data collection period for year 1 and year 2 selected ground ambulance organizations will begin between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.

Does cause a bit of a challenge, since the data from this process is going to be used to evaluate the Medicare reimbursement rates, so further delays may cause a time compression issue on the back end of this timeframe.

CMS has issued a revised blanket waiver yesterday: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/summary-covid-19-emergency-declaration-waivers.pdf to delay the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System. 

Please see page 31 of the above linked document