Moffat County names Memorial Regional Health EMS as exclusive transfer provider for Medicare cost-report purpose

Moffat County commissioners voted on Nov. 26 to adopt a county resolution regarding ambulance services and Medicare cost reporting that asks the county to designate Memorial Regional Health EMS as the exclusive transfer provider away from the county hospital for the purpose of Medicare cost-based reimbursement.

Jennifer Riley of Memorial Regional Health presented the proposal, saying the change "does not change who brings us patients" or how day-to-day EMS calls are handled but would permit Medicare to treat the county’s transfer activity as an allowable cost on the hospital’s Medicare cost report if certain conditions are met. She explained the county is not the only EMS provider within a 35-mile radius, but argued Memorial Regional Health is the only service within a 35-mile radius that routinely transfers patients away from the hospital to higher-level care centers.

Riley said the change could materially affect county hospital reimbursement, estimating conservatively that it would yield an additional reimbursement in the order stated in the presentation and placing the county’s annual EMS operating cost at about what was discussed during the presentation. She noted the resolution includes provisions to allow interagency memoranda of understanding for emergencies and exceptions.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the 35-mile criterion and what exceptions would look like. After discussion, a commissioner moved and the board approved resolution 2024-122 concerning ambulance services; the resolution will allow county staff to apply to Medicare and the county’s fiscal intermediary to pursue the cost-reporting change and make it effective Jan. 1 if approved.