Modern Healthcare source article

CMS rejects Wyoming plan to lower air ambulance costs

January 16, 2020

By RACHEL COHRS

The CMS earlier this month rejected a Wyoming Medicaid waiver proposal that aimed to lower air ambulance costs for all residents of the state.

Wyoming essentially proposed making air ambulances into a public utility by using a Medicaid waiver to make all residents eligible for Medicaid coverage of air ambulances, regardless of their income level. The Wyoming Department of Health submitted the waiver to the CMS on Oct. 28, 2019 and it was denied on Jan. 3.

"We do appreciate the timely decision from CMS on our waiver application related to air ambulance service. Working with our policymakers here at the state, we will look at the options of what we might do next," said Kim Deti, a spokesperson for the Wyoming Department of Health.

Federal law limits states' power to regulate air ambulance billing, and the CMS said Medicaid waivers should not be used to circumvent federal law.

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