WASHIGTON, D.C. (August 11, 2022)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is not planning substantial rulemaking to set a new round of home medical equipment competitive bidding in motion, the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) said in a press release.
competitive bidding
WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 10, 2022)—Legislation to apply 90/10 blended Medicare reimbursement rate for home medical equipment (HME) in former competitive bidding areas (CBA) has been formally introduced in the United States House of Representatives. The DMEPOS Relief Act of 2022 (HR 6641) would boost rates for items in the 13 product categories whose bid results were not implemented in Round 2021. These increased rates would apply from Jan. 1, 2022 through Dec. 31, 2023.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 7, 2022)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) recently announced the redesigned CBIC homepage.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 2, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published fee schedule adjustments for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) for calendar year (CY) 2022. Adjustments differ depending on whether the items serviced are competitive bidding program (CBP) items or in former competitive bidding areas (CBAs). Below is the breakdown:
WATERLOO, Iowa (October 19, 2021)—VGM Government, in conjunction with Brian Leitten and Leitten Consulting, has released an updated study analyzing the efforts by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to control distribution of durable medical equipment (DME). The study, “Competitive Bidding—A Decade Focused on the Wrong Prize.
WASHIGNTON, D.C. (August 5, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has added bid data that compares Round 2021 of the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) to the most recent three rounds of competition.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 30, 2021)—It’s a victory for complex rehab suppliers. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that ends the application of bid-derived rates for complex rehab technology (CRT) wheelchairs.
ARLINGTON, Va. (June 1, 2021)—Home medical equipment (HME) suppliers in rural and other non-bid areas received significant support in the April 2020 Cares Act through measures that extended the 50/50 blended rate for rural suppliers through the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), and for the first time provided a 75/25 rate (a blend using 75% current adjusted rates and 25% unadjusted rates) for suppliers in other non-bid areas for the duration of the PHE.
WASHINGTON D.C. (May 26, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released additional information about the bids received in Round 2021 of Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program.
Background on Round 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C (May 14, 2021)—Following the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) decision to not implement bids set by Round 2021 for most product categories, home medical equipment (HME) suppliers remain subject to Medicare rates that are largely based on bids submitted in 2015.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 25, 2021)—As previously reported, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a new DMEPOS fee schedule for oxygen that reflects a long-sought fix for outdated budget neutrality provisions that was finally secured in December 2020 COVID-19 relief legislation. The updated rates, which go into effect on Apr.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 19, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published the April 2021 durable medical equipment, prosthetics and orthotics (DMEPOS) fee schedule with the new oxygen rates that excludes the application of budget neutrality. This new change shows 5% to 11% increase in oxygen products across the country.
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. (February 9, 2021)—Össur, a global innovator in prosthetic and non-invasive orthopaedic technologies, has implemented critical updates to its proprietary Empower Össur program, helping physician practices, durable medical equipment, and prosthetic and orthotic suppliers (DMEPOS) comply with new, federally mandated competitive bidding requirements for knee and back braces that went into effect on Jan. 1.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 18, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published the CY 2021 Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Fee Schedule. As of Jan. 1, 2021, CMS will continue to apply the CARES Act relief rates for rural and nonrural areas.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 7, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a 0.6% CPI-U adjustment to the 2021 DMEPOS fee schedule for products previously subject to competitive bidding provided in Competitive Bidding Areas (CBAs). The adjustment for suppliers in rural and other non-bid areas is expected to be even less.
ATLANTA, Georgia (Nov. 5, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) is seeking an unprecedented level of advice from stakeholders even as it makes major changes to the competitive bidding program, Mark Higley, vice president or regulatory affairs for VGM, and others said Wednesday.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (November 4, 2020)—The DMEPOS competitive bidding program was designed to find competitive rates of reimbursement for DME items, not necessarily the lowest, said John Gallagher, vice president of government relations at VGM & Associates, during a presentation for the 2020 Medtrade Virtual conference.