Gain One, Lose One: CMS Remembers Orlando, and Two Accrediting Bodies Merge

ATLANTA–The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has
quietly added another city to the list of potential sites for
national competitive bidding.

At a mid-December meeting with accrediting organizations, agency
officials handed out a list of 19 possible metro areas that could
be selected for bidding this year. But in a recent notice sent to
accreditors, CMS said it had mistakenly left off Orlando.

“From what I understand, they just forgot to put Orlando on the
list,” said Tom Cesar, president of the Accreditation Commission
for Health Care, one of the accreditation organizations given
deeming authority by CMS. “We’re not really surprised because it
has actually been talked about as one of the top 10 [metropolitan
statistical areas].”

Orlando had been included on a previous list made public by the
agency (see HomeCare Monday, Jan. 8). Its
reinsertion brings to 20 the number of cities that could be one of
10 sites chosen for the inauguration of NCB.

The other cities are: Miami (which accreditors said they were
told would definitely be among the first sites); Charlotte, N.C.;
Dallas-Ft. Worth; Riverside, Calif.; Pittsburgh; Kansas City
(Missouri and Kansas); Cincinnati; San Juan, Puerto Rico;
Cleveland; San Francisco; Atlanta; Houston; Detroit; Seattle;
Baltimore; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Boston; and Tampa.

It’s been a tense waiting period for HME stakeholders who have
expected CMS to issue the final rule for months, as well as
announce the 10 MSAs. Based on the agency’s current timeline, the
bidding program will be implemented in October. CMS has said it
could decide to phase in the initial locations.

In any case, the addition of Orlando means that there are now 20
cities in which unaccredited Medicare Part B providers must pursue
accreditation. CMS has said providers in the areas it chooses for
2007 bidding should be accredited by spring.

And while the list of prospective MSAs grew by one, the list of
DMEPOS accreditors shrank by one.

The Board of Certification in Pedorthics has merged with the
American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics. The
merger, which became official Jan. 1, was approved by 89 percent of
the two agencies’ members, said Tom Derrick, public relations,
marketing and professional discipline manager for ABC.

“It’s a good step in the right direction,” Derrick said, noting
that the integration of the two bodies further streamlines the
credentialing and accreditation processes for orthotists and
prosthetists, as well as pedorthists.

The organization will likely change its name at some point to
the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and
Pedorthics, Derrick said.

That name would join the list of nine other CMS-approved
accreditors, which also includes: Accreditation Commission for
Health Care (ACHC); Board of Orthotic/Prosthetic Certification
(BOC); Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities
(CARF); Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP); The
Compliance Team; Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditaiton
(HQAA); The Joint Commission (JCAHO); National Association of
Boards of Pharmacy (NABP); and The National Board of Accreditation
for Orthotic Suppliers.

For contacts and information about what each organization is
approved to accredit, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcqforDMEPOS.