Last call for Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS) survey reporting! Is your GADCS survey due on or before April 30, 2025? NBS is here to help!

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is requiring that all providers of ground ambulance services collect and report expenditures, revenues, utilization, and other departmental statistics. Collection of these statistics will be required via the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System. Source: Ambulance Services Center, CMS.gov

What is the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System?

The Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System is a data collection instrument that will be used to evaluate costs related to payment rates under the Medicare Part B Ambulance Fee Schedule (AFS). Sufficient data collection is necessary for CMS to be able to establish appropriate rates in the future. If a provider or supplier does not submit a sufficient Cost Survey, a penalty equal to a 10% payment reduction to the Ambulance Fee Schedule (AFS) payments will be applied.

Ground ambulance organizations selected to report data starting in 2024 were required to select a continuous 12-month data collection period (organizations may choose a collection period aligning with the calendar year, the organization’s fiscal year, or another accounting period) that begins between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023. The Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection Instrument would need to be completed within five months of the end of the data collection period. If your agency selected a data collection start date on or after October 1, 2023, we are here to help.

What can NBS do for you?

NBS can help navigate the data collection process and complete the new Ground Ambulance Data Collection System. Our team has more than 10 years of experience working with ambulance services organizations on cost report submissions. We understand the structures of ambulance services organizations, and while it is important to note that the Medicare Cost Survey is not like Medicare cost reporting or Ground Emergency Medical Transportation reporting, our experience working with ambulance services organizations enables us to ensure that the Ground Ambulance Data Collection System is completed accurately.

To find out how NBS can help you with the GADCS survey reporting requirement, contact Managing Senior Consultant Nicole Huerta at nhuerta@nbsgov.com.