Data collection period means, with respect to a year, the 12-month period that reflects the ground ambulance organization's annual accounting period.

Data reporting period means, with respect to a year, the 5-month period that begins the day after the last day of the ground ambulance organization's data collection period.

For a year means one of the calendar years from 2020 through 2024.

Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection Instrument means the single survey-based data collection instrument that can be accessed by sampled ambulance organizations under this section via a secure web-based system for reporting data under this section.

(1) Within 30 days of the date that CMS notifies a ground ambulance organization under paragraph (c)(3) of this section that it has selected the ground ambulance organization to report data under this section, the ground ambulance organization must select a data collection period that corresponds with its annual accounting period and provide the start date of that data collection period to CMS or its contractor.

(2) Collect during its selected data collection period the data necessary to complete the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection Instrument.

(3) Submit to CMS a completed Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection Instrument during the data reporting period that corresponds to the ground ambulance organization's selected data collection period.

(1) Random sample. For purposes of the data collection described in paragraph (b) of this section, and for a year, CMS will select a random sample of 25 percent of eligible ground ambulance organizations that is stratified based on:

(2) Selection eligibility. A ground ambulance organization is eligible to be selected for data reporting under this section for a year if it is enrolled in Medicare and has submitted to CMS at least one Medicare ambulance transport claim during the year prior to the selection under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(3) Notification of selection for a year. CMS will notify an eligible ground ambulance organization that it has been selected to report data under this section for a year at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the calendar year in which the ground ambulance organization must begin to collect data by posting a list of selected organizations on the CMS web page and providing written notification to each selected ground ambulance organization via email or U.S. mail.

(4) Limitation. CMS will not select the same ground ambulance organization under this paragraph (c) in 2 consecutive years, to the extent practicable.

(1) To request a hardship exemption, the ground ambulance organization must submit a request form (accessed on the Ambulances Services Center website (https://www.cms.gov/Center/Provider-Type/Ambulances-Services-Center.html) to CMS within 90 calendar days of the date that CMS notified the ground ambulance organization that it would receive a 10 percent payment reduction as a result of not submitting sufficient information under the data collection system. The request form must include all of the following:

(2) CMS will provide a written response to the hardship exemption request within 30 days of its receipt of the hardship exemption form.

(1) Notification of non-compliance. A ground ambulance organization selected under paragraph (c) of this section for a year that does not sufficiently report data under paragraph (b) of this section, will receive written notification from CMS that it will receive a payment reduction under § 414.610(c)(9).

(2) Informal review. A ground ambulance organization that receives a written notification under paragraph (e)(1) of a payment reduction under § 414.610(c)(9) may submit a request for an informal review within 90 days of the date it received the notification by submitting all of the following information: