Alzheimer's Blogging:

MEDICARE: Our parents depend on this and someday we will also. I work on an ambulance and the biggest question I get when I transport someone is, will Medicare pay for this ride.

I went on Caring.com and someone asked if Medicare would pay for their parent to go to dialysis and back to nursing home?

Joseph L. Matthews, a Caring.com senior editor, an attorney and an author of Long Term Care: How to Plan & Pay For It. writes: www.caring.com
Not Medicare part A, which covers in hospital or nursing faculty care. There is a small chance Medicare part B, which cover out patient care and might cover wheel chair van transportation.

On Medicare.gov: Medicare does not pay for any transportation services except ambulance services, but Medicare may pay for transportion services to get you to an appointment if you are eligible. www.medicare.gov

On Center of Care Advocacy Corporation; Medicare part B benefit includes coverage of ambulance transportation services provided on either emergency or non emergency basis. However, as with all services under medicare, the beneficiary must meet very specific criteria in order for Medicare to make payment. www.medicareadvocacy.org

In non-emergency situations ambulance transportion is covered only if there is an order by a physician certifying that transportation by other means would be contradicted or that the beneficiary is bed confined. Bed confinement for Medicare means: not able to get out of bed in their own, unable to ambulate, and unable to sit in a wheel chair.

Please check your Medicare for your loved one. You may be getting bills that they will not pay for. You will have to let the nursing home, hospital, or where ever your loved one is to please don't just call an ambulance for convenience. The bill won't be worth it. There are medi vans out there and wheel chair vans out there and stretcher vans that can help transport your loved one with out that terrible bill.

Sincerely,
Marie Fostino
Alzheimer's A Caretakers Journal
Seaboard Press An Imprint Of James A Rock Pub., Co.
www.mariefostino.com
www.mariefostino.blogspot.com