Does Medicare cover ambulance?
Medicare Part B covers ambulance transport when other transportation would endanger your health, but you pay 20% coinsurance after the Part B deductible — and non-emergency rides need to meet strict rules.
What flips the answer
- Covered when
It's a genuine emergency and other transport would endanger your health — Part B covers the ride to the nearest appropriate facility at 20% coinsurance.
- Not covered when
You could have safely traveled another way, or you ask to be taken to a farther/non-nearest facility — Medicare may deny the claim or pay only up to the nearest-facility amount.
- Not covered when
It's a scheduled, non-emergency trip (e.g., dialysis) — coverage requires a physician's medical-necessity order and can still be denied via an Advance Beneficiary Notice.
Part B covers emergency ambulance service to the nearest appropriate hospital or facility when your condition is serious enough that traveling any other way could risk your health. Ground ambulance is standard; air ambulance is covered only when ground transport isn't possible or would take too long.
You pay the Part B deductible and then 20% coinsurance of the Medicare-approved amount. The ambulance also generally has to take you to the nearest facility that can treat you — going farther, or to a facility of your choosing, can leave you paying the difference.
Non-emergency ambulance transport (for example, to and from dialysis) can be covered, but usually needs a doctor's written order stating it's medically necessary, and the ambulance company may give you an Advance Beneficiary Notice warning that Medicare may not pay. Medicare Advantage plans cover ambulance service too, at their own cost-sharing.
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