CMS Reminds Providers of October Deadlines

BALTIMORE—CMS and its DME MACs continue to remind
HME providers about upcoming deadlines for accreditation and surety
bonds.
 
Here’s a portion of the latest from NGS, the
Jurisdiction B DME MAC, with a sub-heading that reads:
“Suppliers May Choose to Voluntarily Terminate Enrollment If
They Do Not Plan To Comply.”
 
According to the message:

“Medicare suppliers of durable medical equipment,
prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS), unless exempt, must
be accredited and obtain a surety bond by Oct. 1, 2009 and Oct. 2,
2009, respectively.  

“If you have made the decision not to obtain accreditation or
a surety bond when required, you may want to voluntarily terminate
your enrollment in the Medicare program before the implementation
dates above. You can voluntary terminate your enrollment with the
Medicare program by completing the sections associated with
voluntary termination on page 4 of the Medicare enrollment
application (CMS-855S). Once complete, you should sign, date and
send the completed application to the National Supplier
Clearinghouse (NSC). By voluntarily terminating your Medicare
enrollment, you will preserve your right to re-enroll in Medicare
once you meet the requirements to participate in the Medicare
program.

“If you do not comply with the accreditation and surety bond
requirements and do not submit a voluntary termination, your
Medicare billing privileges will be revoked. A revocation will bar
you from re-enrolling in Medicare for at least one year after the
date of revocation.  

“Suppliers who do not plan to stay enrolled in Medicare are
strongly encouraged to notify their beneficiaries as soon as
possible so the beneficiary can find another supplier.”

For information on DMEPOS accreditation or the surety bond, go to
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll.
FAQS on the surety bond requirement can be found on the National
Supplier Clearinghouse FAQ page at http://www.palmettogba.com/nsc.