Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR) Practice Exam 2026 - Free CRCR Practice Questions and Study Guide

The addition of ambulance charges to a Medicare inpatient claim is specifically tied to the circumstances under which the patient is transported. In this scenario, the correct choice indicates that the hospital adds ambulance charges when the patient requires transportation to a skilled nursing facility. This aligns with Medicare guidelines, which allow for the inclusion of ambulance costs in instances where a patient is transferred to a skilled nursing facility after an inpatient hospital stay, provided the transport is necessary for the continuity of care.

The importance of this option lies in the understanding that Medicare coverage can extend to transportation costs when they meet specific criteria. In this case, the patient's medical needs after discharge from the hospital dictate the necessity of adding these charges to the claim.

In contrast, while admissions through the emergency room may involve transport by ambulance, not all such scenarios justify adding those charges to the inpatient claim. Similarly, transport within the same county is not a defining factor for adding the charges, as it doesn't impact the necessity of care. Lastly, while there are instances where a patient may require transport for a specialized procedure, that alone doesn’t warrant the addition of ambulance charges in the context of an inpatient claim if it does not lead to a readmission or subsequent care situation that Medicare would cover.