Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System

Effective January 1, 2020–2024, CMS will select ground ambulance providers and suppliers to participate in the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS). To learn more, view these FAQs (PDF) - Updated 11/02/2023.

Selected Providers & Suppliers

• Year 1 (ZIP)
• Year 2 (ZIP)
• Year 3 (ZIP) - New 11/7/22
• Year 4  (ZIP) - New 11/7/22

What to do if we select your organization

• Respond to the notification letter that you received from your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) and report your organization’s start date of your data collection period and contact information to the website provided in the notification letter.
• You’ll provide information on cost, revenue, utilization, and other information for a continuous 12-month data collection period.
• Collect data using the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection Instrument: English (PDF) - Updated 11/02/2023
  • Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection Instrument: Spanish (PDF) - Updated 11/02/2023
• Tip Sheets:
  • Five Top GADCS Tips for Selected Ground Ambulance Organizations in Year 1 and Year 2 that are Required to Report Beginning in January 2023 (PDF) - Updated 11/02/2023
  • Five Top Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS) Tips for Selected Year 3 and Year 4 Ground Ambulance Organizations Required to Report Beginning in January 2024  (PDF)
  • Allocating Costs and Revenues (PDF)
  • Reporting Expenses for Contracted Services (PDF)
  • Reporting for Public Safety Organizations (PDF) - Updated 11/29/2023
  • Reporting for Government-Based Organizations  (PDF)
  • Reporting for Provider Organizations (PDF)
  • Reporting for Rural and Super Rural Organizations (PDF) - New 02/16/2024
• Other Resources:
  • GADCS User Guide (PDF) - Updated 01/01/2024
  • Walkthrough of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System
  • GADCS Educational Webinars
  • Hardship Exemption Request Form (PDF)
  • Quick Reference Guide (PDF) 
  • Report: Sampling & Instrument Considerations & Recommendations (PDF) 
  • Facilities Template (ZIP) - Updated 11/07/2022
  • Vehicles Template (ZIP) - Updated 11/07/2022
  • Ground Ambulance Industry Trends, 2017–2020 Report: Analysis of Medicare Fee-for-Service Claims (PDF)

How do I register for the GADCS Portal?

Attention:  Ground Ambulance Organizations Selected in Year 1 and Year 2 that are Required to Report Under the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS):

Selected ground ambulance organizations in Year 1 and Year 2 are required to collect data beginning in 2022 and report beginning in 2023 (within 5 months after your data collection period ends).  We are pleased to announce that the system you will use to report your data, the GADCS portal, was deployed on December 30, 2022 and is now live.  Please refer to this document for more information on how to access the system: Quick Tips on Registration and Requesting Access to the GADCS Portal (PDF).

Overview of the Timeline for the Data Collection & Data Reporting Requirements under the GADCS

What happens if your organization doesn’t provide data

If CMS selects your organization to participate, but your organization doesn’t report the required information, your organization will be subject to a 10% reduction in payments under the AFS for a calendar year. Your organization won’t get a reduction in payments if we’ve granted a hardship exemption or after an informal review concludes that your organization is not subject to the 10% reduction in payments.

Goal of the system

The collected information will be analyzed by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) in order to submit a report to Congress on the:

• Information you submit through the data collection system
• The adequacy of payments for ground ambulance services and geographic variations in the cost of furnishing such services
• Analysis of any burden on you associated with the data collection system
• Recommendation as to whether information should continue to be submitted through the data collection system or if changes are needed

Proposed and Final Rules on the Establishment of the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System

• CY 2024 PFS Proposed Rule
• CY 2023 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule
• CY 2023 PFS proposed rule 
• CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule
• CY 2022 PFS Proposed Rule Fact Sheet (PDF)
• CY 2022 PFS Proposed Rule
• CY 2020 PFS Final Rule
• CY 2020 PFS Proposed Rule

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