WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 19, 2019)—The Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor released a new Financial Scoring Methodology fact sheet providing information about the financial scoring process used to evaluate a bidder’s financial health for Round 2021.
CMS
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 11, 2019)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on Thursday, July 11 that it had proposed a new rule to update the rates and wages for home health care for 2020, and implementing the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), as well as other items.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (July 9, 2019)—More than 80% of Medicare-reimbursed hospice agencies were cited with a deficiency between 2012 and 2016, according to a new report issued by the U.S. Office of Health and Human Services (HHS); in 2016, 300--or 18% of all hospices in the country--had serious problems or complaints.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 25, 2019)—More than 40% of the members of the United States House of Representatives have joined a letter asking federal regulators to keep noninvasive ventilators out of the next round of the competitive bidding program for HME.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (June 7, 2019)—Seema Verma, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), released an update on the administration’s #PatientsOverPaperwork initiative, citing the need for competition in the industry. But some home medical equipment (HME) providers weren't convinced.
*Updated June 7, 2019 with link to presentation.
NASHVILLE (June 5, 2019)—Some 130 providers from around the country gathered Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee, for the Bid Smart 2019 Summit, sponsored by the VGM Group, AAHomecare, the Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC), At Home Services and the Healthcare Nutrition Council. The interactive summit covered the details of Round 2021 and helped providers learn how to approach bidding fully informed.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 31, 2019)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be hosting two Special Open Door Forums (ODF) on June 4 and June 12, 2019.
Prior Authorization
On June 4, CMS will host an ODF from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm EDT on the implementation of prior authorization (PA) for pressure reducing support surfaces. This ODF is a follow-up from an announcement published in the Federal Register on April 22.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 29, 2019)—As the home medical equipment industry prepares for the next round of the competitive bidding program, patient advocacy groups are rallying around the latest category added to the program—non-invasive ventilation (NIV).
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 23, 2019)—U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana plans to lead a Senate sign-on letter asking CMS and HHS to reverse course on the decision to add non-invasive vents (NIVs) to Round 2021 of the competitive bidding program, AAHomecare reports.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 21, 2019)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has added a fourth webcast to its education program by splitting the previously announced “Registering and Submitting a Bid” session into two parts. The following webcasts are part of the series designed to assist bidders and sureties on key components of the Round 2021 process:
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 21, 2019)—Reps. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) are leading a Congressional sign-on letter asking CMS and HHS to reverse course on their recent decision to add non-invasive vents to the competitive bidding program for Round 2021.
Their letter to CMS reads in part:
Washington, D.C. (May 17, 2019)—A group of industry trade organizations is commending the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for releasing detailed guidance describing how bidders’ estimated capacity will drive the final single payment amounts (SPAs) and for announcing a new bidding window for Medicare’s Round 2021 of the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) competitive bidding program (CBP).
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 2, 2019)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be hosting three webcasts as part of their education program to assist bidders and sureties on CB 2021. During the webcasts, CMS will be accepting questions from participants but encourages question submissions before the webcast at cbic.admin@palmettogba.com with “Webcast Question” in the subject line. Below is the schedule for the webcasts and providers can register for the first session here.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 2, 2019)—New legislation to establish a separate benefit for complex rehab technology (CRT) wheelchairs under Medicare has been introduced in the House. H.R. 2408, sponsored by Reps.
HARTFORD, Conn. and PHILADELPHIA (April 23, 2019)—CareCentrix, a pioneer in home-based post-acute care (PAC) solutions, and Turn-Key Health, a provider of community-based palliative care solutions to health plans and provider organizations, announced a partnership which expands the CareCentrix PAC program by integrating Turn-Key’s Palliative Illness Management (PIM) solution for patients burdened by a serious or advanced illness.
(April 23, 2019)—One of the two Medicare trust funds is on pace to run out of funds in seven years, according a report released Monday by the Medicare Board of Trustees. The projections align with last year’s forecasts.
Due to the aging population, spending for the Medicare hospital insurance trust fund--which covers Part A and Part C plans--could be depleted by 2026, the report said. Medicare costs are projected to continue to rise during this time.
A multifaceted approach to M&A activity
WASHINGTON, (April 18, 2019)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has selected 12 additional items of Durable Medical Equipment (DME) to be subject to required prior authorization (CMS 6080-N2).