Technical Problems Leave Open Door Callers in the Dark

BALTIMORE–Callers to CMS’ special Open Door Forum on national
competitive bidding had plenty of questions. But due to technical
difficulties, CMS’ answers were difficult, if not impossible, to
hear.

A total of 610 callers dialed into the May 23 forum, held
following the Program Advisory and Oversight Committee’s two-day
meeting on competitive bidding (see related story above). But
because of the poor sound quality, many callers requested that CMS
hold a repeat Open Door Forum or offer a transcript.

“We’re just not getting anything out of it,” said one phone
participant, who called the audio reception “awful.”

In response to the requests, CMS offered a summary fact sheet
that was posted to its Web site May 24. But during the forum, one
caller said that wouldn’t be enough since he wasn’t being given the
opportunity to contribute.

The forum was held to allow industry stakeholders to comment on
the 203-page draft competitive bidding rule, published May 1 in the
Federal Register, but many of the forum callers simply
wanted to know if the competitive bidding program would affect
them.

Chris Kingston of Diabetes Supply Center of the Midlands, Omaha,
Neb., asked if the company would have to get involved in
competitive bidding since it was a niche business that only
provided diabetes supplies. In response to that and similar
questions, CMS officials clarified that if a provider plans to
furnish supplies subject to competitive bidding to beneficiaries
who live in an area where the program is offered, then yes.

And one Oklahoma City caller was alarmed by CMS’ estimate that
competitive bidding would cause about half of the providers in the
industry to go out of business. “Is that a misprint, or do you
really believe that?” he asked.

CMS said its estimates were based on its competitive bidding
demonstrations in San Antonio, Texas, and Polk County, Fla.