CMS Proposes New Country of Origin Requirement for DME Suppliers

WASHINGTON—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is recommending adding a new “country of origin” field as a requirement for lead items provided by durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers chosen for the agency’s Medicare competitive bidding program.

The recommendation is part of the Calendar Year 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HHPPS) Rate Update; Requirements for the HH Quality Reporting Program and the Expanded HH Value-Based Purchasing Model; Medicare Provider Enrollment, Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and DME, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) proposed rule.

The DMEPOS competitive bidding program reporting form, known as Form C, collects product information such as manufacturer name, model name and model number, which is then displayed in the medicare supplier directory on medicare.gov. CMS said the new country of origin information would give Medicare beneficiaries and other interested parties the country of origin for their medical equipment included in the DMEPOS CBP. This would pass the task onto the suppliers, who can typically identify the country of origin from product markings (e.g., “Made in [Country]”), as required by U.S. Customs and Border Protection rules, or by obtaining documentation such as manufacturer certifications, commercial invoices or customs entry records.

In a released fact sheet, CMS said it’s proposing an enhancement to the DMEPOS competitive bidding program designed to “better inform beneficiaries and caregivers, empowering them to make well-informed healthcare decisions.”