CMS routinely sends out messages alerting providers and suppliers to important information about the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program. Here you will find current and previous "listserv" messages, press releases and other notices announcing information and the availability of new educational materials, national provider training calls and more.  See "Downloads" section below for all previously released CMS listserv messages.

CMS Communications

Sent July 1, 2008 - The Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program is here!

Supplier Directory Locator Tool Now Available!

As of Tuesday, July 1, 2008 the Supplier Directory on www.medicare.gov has been updated to reflect the start of the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding program in certain areas of the country. 

Users can begin their search on the Supplier Directory by entering their zip code.  Product categories in that zip code that are competitive bid are identified, and special messaging will let users know if they have chosen an applicable product in a Competitive Bid Area (CBA) and why that is important to know.  Search results for CBAs are organized by city of the zip code that was entered, and then by state.  Users can sort by Supplier Name, and whether or not the supplier is participating.  The address and phone number of the supplier is available.

Users are encouraged to check the site frequently as CMS will be making regular updates during the start of this program.

Clarification of Common Carrier and Local Storefront  Suppliers Under the CMS DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program  

Common carrier, in its basic meaning, includes individuals or companies that transport goods or cargo (e.g., diabetic testing supplies) for compensation. This means that suppliers that pay a common carrier such as the U.S. Postal Service, Federal Express, United Parcel Service, or other shipping or courier service companies to transport diabetic testing supplies to Medicare beneficiaries' homes must be mail order contract suppliers under the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program, regardless of any contract arrangements suppliers may have with common carriers to deliver these items.

Diabetic supplies delivered by a common carrier to a Medicare beneficiary's home in a competitive bidding area must be furnished by a mail order contract supplier in order for Medicare to make payment unless the supplies are delivered by a local storefront using its own vehicles and W2 employees. This local storefront supplier must have its own local storefront that services the competitive bidding area, have its own location-specific National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) number for that storefront, bill for the diabetic supplies using that NSC number, and meet all of Medicare's supplier standards. It must also offer beneficiaries the choice of either obtaining the diabetic supplies from the supplier's storefront or having the items home delivered by the local storefront supplier using its own vehicles and W2 employees.

Reminder: Enteral Nutrition is Not a "Grandfathered" Competitively Bid Item

Under the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program, enteral nutrition must be furnished by a contract supplier and cannot be provided by a non-contract grandfathered supplier.  To ensure that there is no gap in service, this is important information for providers who order enteral nutrition for Medicare beneficiaries who permanently reside in or are visiting a CBA.

National Provider Call for Referral Agents and Non-Contract Suppliers –

July 8, 2008

CMS will host a national audio call to address additional questions on the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program, which was implemented today, July 1, 2008. The call will be held on July 8, 2008 from 2:30 – 4:00 PM EDT. This call will not address contract supplier issues, but will instead focus on questions from non-contract suppliers and referral agents (Medicare providers who order or refer DMEPOS in the 10 CBAs).

Please note -- Participants will be able to submit questions through the online registration system at the time of sign up for the call. Registration details follow.

Conference call details:

Date:                            July 8, 2008

Conference Title:          DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program

Time:                           2:30-4:00 p.m. EDT

In order to receive the call-in information, you must register for the call. It is important to note that if you are planning to sit in with a group, only one person needs to register to receive the call-in data.  This registration is solely to reserve a phone line, NOT to allow participation.  If you cannot attend the call, replay information is available below.

Registration will close at 2:30 p.m. EDT on July 7, 2008, or when available space has been filled.  No exceptions will be made, so please be sure to register prior to this time.

    1. To register for the call participants need to go to: http://www2.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/070808

2. Fill in all required data. 

3. Verify your time zone is displayed correctly the drop down box.

4. Click "Register".

5. You will be taken to the "Thank you for registering" page and will receive a confirmation email shortly thereafter.   Note: Please print and save this page, in the event that your server blocks the confirmation emails.  If you do not receive the confirmation email, please check your spam/junk mail filter as it may have been directed there.

For those of you who will be unable to attend, a replay option will be available shortly following the end of the call.  This replay will be accessible from 4:30 p.m. EDT 7/8/2008 until 11:59 p.m. EDT 7/15/2008.  The call in data for the replay is (800) 642-1687 and the passcode is 53825755.

Educational Products: New Skilled Nursing Facility/Nursing Facility (SNF/NF) Specialty Supplier Tip Sheet!

Within the next day, CMS will post a new tip sheet on SNF/NF Specialty Suppliers under the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program.

Below is a complete listing of provider Tip Sheets that can be accessed from our dedicated web page:

• Tip Sheet for Skilled Nursing Facilities and Nursing Facilities: Specialty Contract Suppliers
• Tip Sheet for Referral Agents
• Tip Sheet for "Grandfathered" Suppliers
• Tip Sheet for Mail-Order Diabetic Testing Suppliers
• Tip Sheet for Physicians and Other Treating Practitioners Who Are Enrolled Medicare DMEPOS Suppliers
• Tip Sheet for Non-Contract Suppliers

Go to www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOSCompetitiveBid  to access all the latest information on the new program. Just click on the "Provider Educational Products and Resources" tab on the left then scroll down to the "Downloads" section for all MLN Matters articles, Tip Sheets, and links to beneficiary educational products as well. 

Sent June 30, 2008 - Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding News

Clarification of Mail Order in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program

The CMS has posted information on the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) website to clarify its policy with regard to mail order suppliers. This posting provides further guidance on common carriers and local storefront suppliers.  Please visit the Supplier's FAQ section at http://www.dmecompetitivebid.com for more information.

Sent June 27, 2008 - The Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program begins July 1, 2008

If You Refer or Order DMEPOS for Medicare Beneficiaries:

Under this new program, beneficiaries who permanently reside in or travel to a designated competitive bidding area (CBA) are required to obtain competitive bid items from a contract supplier, unless an exception applies (e.g., grandfathered suppliers).  You (e.g. physicians, practitioners, discharge planners, social workers, pharmacists, and home health agencies) will play a critical role in helping your Medicare patients select appropriate DMEPOS contract suppliers.  The Medicare Learning Network's "Tip Sheet for Referral Agents" can help!  Downloadable copies are available at www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOSCompetitiveBid.  Click on the "Provider Educational Products and Resources" tab on the left then scroll down to the "Downloads" section.

Enteral Nutrition is Not a "Grandfathered" Competitively Bid Item: 

Under the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program, enteral nutrition must be furnished by a contract supplier and cannot be provided by a non-contract grandfathered supplier.  To ensure that there is no gap in service, this is important information for providers who order enteral nutrition for Medicare beneficiaries who permanently reside in or are visiting a CBA.

There is NO Application or Registration Required to Become a Grandfathered Supplier:

Suppliers servicing Medicare patients in a CBA need only notify their Medicare clients that they have elected to become a grandfathered supplier and receive a response that the Medicare beneficiary elects to continue services.  For more details, see the "DMEPOS Grandfathered Suppliers" tip sheet on the CMS dedicated website at www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOSCompetitiveBid.  Click on the "Provider Educational Products and Resources" tab on the left then scroll down to the "Downloads" section.

New Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Now Posted on the CMS Website! 

Twenty-six (26) new FAQs have recently been posted on the CMS DMEPOS Competitive Bidding provider website.  See what's new by going to www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOSCompetitiveBid .  Click on the "Provider Educational Products and Resources" tab on the left then scroll down to "Related Links Inside CMS".

New MLN Matters article on CMS Claims Processing Manual Revisions

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued Change Request (CR) 6007, Manual Revisions to Reflect Special Billing Instructions for DMEPOS Items as a Result of the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program and the corresponding MLN Matters article. The article is available at www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6007.pdf and will also be available on the "Provider Educational Products and Resources" page of the CMS DMEPOS Competitive Bidding provider website soon.

Website Addition - Single Payment Amounts:

A new link to DMEPOS Competitive Bidding single payment amounts has been added to the dedicated website to allow easy access to the files that list the single payment amount for competitively bid items. Go to www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOSCompetitiveBid and click on the "Single Payment Amounts" tab on the left.

All the information that you need to know as a DMEPOS supplier or an enrolled Medicare provider who refers beneficiaries for DMEPOS is available on the CMS DMEPOS Competitive Bidding dedicated website located at www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOScompetitivebid.

Sent June 20, 2008 - July 1 is coming! Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program News

Ombudsman Program

The Ombudsmen for the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program are now available to assist providers, suppliers, and beneficiaries by providing information and education and by facilitating the resolution of complaints and concerns. The ombudsmen's role is to investigate and address complaints by providers, suppliers, and beneficiaries specifically related to the Competitive Bidding Program.  There are eight ombudsmen who are located within the initial Competitive Bidding Areas (CBAs).

You may contact an ombudsman:

• For general information about the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program;
• To obtain assistance in locating a contract supplier;
• For educational programs and activities;
• To report concerns about the program, a supplier, or a referral agent;
• The quality of services or items, and/or suspected fraud or abuse; and
• For assistance with questions, issues, and complaints specifically pertaining to the competitive bidding program and policies.

You may find a list of the ombudsmen with contact information on the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) website at www.dmecompetitivebid.com.

DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program Competitive Bidding Areas (CBAs) Are Defined by Zip Codes

Two CBA zip code files have been posted on the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) website: one file containing mail order zip codes per CBA and one file containing non-mail order zip codes per CBA.  These files will be updated on a quarterly basis, as needed, to reflect changes in zip codes included in the various CBAs.  Although the boundaries of a CBA will not change during a competitive bidding contract period, zip codes in general do change from time to time (e.g., when one zip code/area is subdivided into two or more new zip codes/areas, etc.).  

Zip codes contained in each CBA can be accessed through the CMS DMEPOS Competitive Bidding website at located at www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOSCompetitivebid/.

Just click on the "Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Competitive Bidding Areas, and Zip Codes" tab at www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOSCompetitivebid/ and scroll down to "Related Links Outside CMS".

Important Requirements of the "Grandfathered" Supplier Provision 

Non contract suppliers located in the 10 DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Areas (CBAs) should have taken the appropriate steps to notify beneficiaries whose permanent residence is in a CBA of their decision to become, or not to become grandfathered suppliers for each competitively bid item. These decisions should be conveyed through a written notification to the beneficiary before July 1, the start date of the new program.  IMPORTANT NOTE:  This notification should only be sent to beneficiaries who maintain a permanent residence in a CBA.  Suppliers can determine if a beneficiary resides in a CBA by comparing the beneficiary's zip code to the zip code files on the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor's web site.

Suppliers that choose to become "grandfathered" should maintain a record as to whether the beneficiary chose to continue to receive the item from the grandfathered supplier, chose to go to a contract supplier, or did not respond.

For suppliers that choose not to become grandfathered, the beneficiary will have to switch to a contract supplier.

CMS expects suppliers to work together to ensure there is no break in service or in the furnishing of medically necessary items (e.g. oxygen, enteral nutrition, CPAP). In order for this transition to occur, a coordinated effort including delivery and pick-up of supplies must take place.

For more detailed information on this  topic, please refer to the MLN Matters article MM5978 and the Medicare Learning Network's Tip Sheet for "Grandfathered" Suppliers on the CMS DMEPOS Competitive Bidding website located at www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOSCompetitivebid/.

Go to the "Provider Educational Products and Resources" tab and scroll to the "Downloads" section.

National Provider Training Calls
CMS will host national audio calls for providers, suppliers and referral agents. Announcements and registration information will be released on a variety of listservs and on this page. Registration information for national audio calls can be accessed in the "Downloads" section below.  

The transcript from the first national provider education that took place on May 13th is now available. Please go to the downloads section below. 

Press Releases and Fact Sheets See "Related Links Inside CMS" section below for all CMS Press Releases and Fact Sheets.

Downloads
The First National Provider Education Transcripts from May 13, 2008 [PDF, 169KB]  2008 Messages [PDF, 47KB] 2007 Messages [PDF, 138KB] 2006 Messages [PDF, 27KB] Round 2 Messages [PDF, 26KB]
Related Links Inside CMS
DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Frequently Asked Questions May 19, 2008 Press Release May 19, 2008 Fact Sheet April 2, 2007 DMEPOS Fact Sheet April 2, 2007 DMEPOS Press Release
Related Links Outside CMS
Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC)

Page Last Modified: 07/02/2008 3:24:29 PM
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