Community Emergency Medical Technician (CEMT) Services

Revised: October 6, 2020

Overview

The Minnesota Legislature enacted into law the provider type designated as community emergency medical technician (CEMT) to meet the health care needs of Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) members within the first 24 to 48 hours of being discharged from a hospital or nursing home. CEMTs also provide safe home checks to members who have multiple calls for assistance at their home.

Eligible Providers

Emergency medical technicians who meet the following may enroll as CEMT providers:

· Are currently certified as an emergency medical technician (EMT) or advanced emergency medical technician (AEMT)

· Have two years of service as an EMT or AEMT

· Successfully completed an education program that includes education in providing culturally appropriate care

· Completed an Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board (EMSRB) application form

Currently, Hennepin Technical College is offering the CEMT program.

Eligible Members

MHCP members are eligible for CEMT services if they have:

· Recently been discharged from an inpatient stay in a hospital

· Recently been discharged from a nursing home

· Made repeated calls for assistance at their homes

Covered Services

Post-Discharge Visit
The member’s primary care provider orders the post-discharge visit. A CEMT provides the post-discharge visit and must document the visit in the member’s care plan.

The post-discharge visit includes:

· Providing the member with verbal or visual reminders of the discharge orders

· Recording and reporting the member’s vital signs to the member’s primary care provider

· Confirming the member has medication access

· Confirming the member has food access

· Identifying home hazards

Safe Home Evaluation Visit
The member’s primary care provider coordinates and is responsible for ordering the a safe home evaluation visit. The CEMT provider conducts the visit and must document the order in the member’s care plan.

Circumstances that may trigger a safe home evaluation visit are:

· Repeat ambulance calls due to falls

· Individuals identified by primary care provider as at risk for nursing home placement

Included components:

· Confirming the member has medication access

· Confirming the member has food access

· Identifying home hazards

Noncovered Services

CEMT does not cover the following:

· Travel time

· Mileage

· Services related to hospital-acquired conditions or treatments

Billing

Refer to the MN–ITS User Manual when submitting claims. The MHCP-enrolled medical director of the service that employs the CEMTs will bill the CEMT services:

· Bill using the 837P Professional Claim

· The only place of service currently available for CEMT services is the member’s home

· Code T1016 with modifier U4 for a post-discharge visit, max units four

· Code T1016 with modifier U5 for a safe home visit, max units four

· Bill in 15-minute increments (one unit = 15 minutes)

· Eight minutes of a unit must be used in order to bill the unit

Legal References

Minnesota Statutes, 256B.0625, subdivision 60a (Community emergency medical technician services)
Minnesota Statutes, 144E.275, subdivision 3 (Medical response unit qualifications)
Minnesota Statutes, 144E.275, subdivision 1 (Definition)