By EMS1 Staff
NEW YORK — A new study released this month by FAIR Health analyzing ground ambulance services across the country found that 59.4% of all ground transports were out-of-network in 2022.
That is a decrease from 2018 when 63.7% of ground transports were out of network.
Researchers used several factors to compile their report, including utilization, cost, age, gender, diagnosis, differences across states and outcomes associated with ground ambulance transport. Other notable findings:
- In 2022, ALS services accounted for 51.1% of ground transports, as opposed to 48.9% with BLS.
- Emergency transport was more common than nonemergency transport from 2018-2022.
- Treatment-in-place increased from 2018 to 2020, rising from 1.4% to 2% of all ground ambulance responses, but decreased to 1.9% in 2022.
- Patients 19-35 years old accounted for the largest group to utilize treatment-in-place policies, between 2.2-3%.
- Mental health conditions accounted for the third-largest share of BLS ground responses; the eighth-largest share of ALS responses.
Read the full FAIR Health report below:
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EMS documentation must support both medical necessity and reasonableness for the transport