Reminder: Air and Water Ambulance Non-Emergency Transportation Prior Authorization Requests

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) is reminding our provider community that air and water ambulance transport is a covered service only if:

• The facility to which the individual is transferred is the nearest with appropriate capabilities to treat the member’s condition.
• The transport is medically necessary and appropriate.

To streamline air and water ambulance non-urgent requests, BCBSND kindly asks providers to submit the following with each prior authorization/ precertification request.

1. Documentation as to the medical condition requiring transportation, and why it cannot be provided by land ambulance.
2. Verification that the air and water ambulance transported to the nearest appropriate medical facility, except for well-documented extraordinary circumstances (example: blizzard conditions).

If the transport is not going to the closest medical facility, documentation must show that closer facilities were contacted and did not have capacity and/or bed availability to meet the member’s needs. Thank you for taking these proactive steps to care for the people of our communities.