SNF Billing

30.2.2 - SNF Billing (Rev.4021; Issued: 04-13-18; Effective: 07-16-18; Implementation: 07-16-18) When billing for ambulance transports of SNF residents, suppliers should indicate whether the transport was part of a SNF Part A covered stay, using the appropriate origin/destination modifier (e.g., “NH” for a transport from a SNF to a hospital). The following ambulance transportation and related ambulance services for residents in Part A stays are not included in the PPS rate. For additional information, see Chapter 6, SNF Inpatient Part A Billing and SNF Consolidated Billing, § 20.3.1, Ambulance Services. They may be billed as Part B services by the supplier only in the following situations: • The ambulance trip is to the SNF for admission (the second character (destination) of any ambulance HCPCS code modifier is N (SNF) other than modifier QN, and the date of service is the same as the SNF 21X admission date.) • The ambulance trip is from the SNF to home (the first character (origin) of any HCPCS code ambulance modifier is N (SNF)), and date of ambulance service is the same date as the SNF through date, and the SNF patient status (FL 22) is other than 30.) • The ambulance trip is to or from a hospital based or non-hospital based ESRD facility (either one of any HCPCS code ambulance modifiers is G (Hospital based dialysis facility) or J (Non-hospital based dialysis facility) and the other modifier is N (SNF)). • The ambulance trip is from the SNF to another SNF (the first and second character (origin and destination) of any ambulance HCPCS code modifier is “N” (SNF)) and the beneficiary is not in a Part A stay. Ambulance payment associated with the following outpatient hospital service exclusions is paid under the ambulance fee schedule: • Cardiac catheterization; • Computerized axial tomography (CT) scans; • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs); • Ambulatory surgery involving the use of an operating room, including the insertion, removal, or replacement of a percutaneous esophageal gastrostomy (PEG) tube in the hospital’s gastrointestinal (GI) or endoscopy suite; • Emergency services; • Angiography; • Lymphatic and Venous Procedures; and • Radiation therapy. See Chapter 6, § 20.1.2, Other Excluded Services Beyond the Scope of a SNF Part A Benefit, for further information pertaining to the list of services that are excluded from SNF Part A payment referenced above. The following ambulance transportation and related ambulance services for residents in a Part A stay are included in the SNF PPS rate and may not be billed as Part B services by the supplier. For additional information, see Chapter 6, § 20.3.1, In these scenarios, the services provided are subject to SNF CB and the first SNF is responsible for billing the services to the A/B MAC (A): • Suppliers should bill with an “NN” origin/destination modifier when a SNF-to-SNF transport occurs. A transport between two SNFs (that is, a beneficiary’s same-day transfer from one SNF to another) is not separately payable when a beneficiary is in a Part A covered SNF stay, and will result in a denial of a Part B claim for such a transport. Ambulance transports to or from a diagnostic or therapeutic site other than a hospital or renal dialysis facility (e.g., an independent diagnostic testing facility (IDTF), cancer treatment center, radiation therapy center, wound care center, etc.). The first or second character (origin or destination) of any HCPCS code ambulance modifier is “D” (Diagnostic or therapeutic site other than P or H), and the other modifier (origin or destination) is “N” (SNF). Exception: An ambulance transport from a SNF to the nearest supplier of medically necessary services not available at the SNF where the beneficiary is a resident and not in a covered Part A stay, including the return trip, is covered under Part B provided that the ambulance transportation was medically reasonable and necessary and all other coverage requirements are met.