tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45405219088134079812008-06-19T07:59:45.414-07:00dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-58247408953402237102008-06-19T06:55:00.000-07:002008-06-19T07:59:45.451-07:00

In a recent statement, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) proved he "gets it" when it comes to delaying the start of Medicare competitive bidding. “Durable medical equipment can give seniors the freedom to live at home, and so it’s important to maintain a reliable system in Medicare to provide these vital items," Baucus said. "I am supportive of competitive bidding as a means

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-74227874950740795572008-06-12T11:43:00.001-07:002008-06-12T11:43:58.794-07:00

Citing faulty implementation of Medicare’s competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, and supplies (DMEPOS), the American Association for Homecare filed a federal lawsuit on June 9 seeking to stop the controversial bidding program. The program affects medical equipment and services used by Medicare beneficiaries in the home including oxygen therapy, hospital beds,

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-10218624066996654542008-06-03T09:58:00.000-07:002008-06-03T09:59:17.127-07:00

Recently, CMS posted two new tip sheets related to competitive bidding, one on grandfathering and another for referral agents. Both tip sheets can be found on the CMS competitive bidding website at www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOScompetitivebid. Click on the "Provider Educational Products and Resources" tab and scroll down to the “Downloads” section.

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-79134647340762527572008-05-29T09:13:00.000-07:002008-05-29T09:15:20.495-07:00

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the names of the 325 suppliers that have signed contracts with Medicare to provide certain medical equipment and supplies to beneficiaries in 10 communities across the U.S. Find out the names of winning bidders in your Metropolitan Statistical Area.

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Based on bids submitted by these suppliers, beneficiaries and Medicare will see prices, on average, 26 percent lower than Medicare currently pays for the same items. CMS received bids from 1,005 suppliers. There were just under 6,200 bids for one or more product categories in competitive bidding areas (CBAs) where the new program is being implemented. CMS offered contracts to 23 percent of

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-54346715011733235442008-05-20T06:53:00.002-07:002008-05-21T06:34:18.973-07:00

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the names of the 325 suppliers that have signed contracts with Medicare to provide certain medical equipment and supplies to beneficiaries in 10 communities across the U.S. The new competitive bidding program goes into effect on July 1, 2008. CMS also announced that it is extending the deadline for suppliers in the 70 second round

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-41516713139780175132008-05-14T06:38:00.000-07:002008-05-14T06:39:43.613-07:00

Calling the program “somewhere between flawed and lousy,” House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Fortney “Pete” Stark (D-Calif.), said he was unsure if repeal legislation could pass this year. Round I of the program is set to take effect July 1 in 10 MSAs. However, he added he would work with the industry to try to block competitive bidding, despite the costs of ending the program.

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-74724803912834278342008-05-08T11:28:00.000-07:002008-05-08T11:29:46.438-07:00

What Ways and Means Committee Chairman Pete Stark (D-CA) said when Acting CMS Commissioner Weems responded that he saw nothing that he would change about the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program.

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-51143051823082485182008-05-01T07:11:00.000-07:002008-05-01T07:12:43.825-07:00

Competitive bidding numbers gleaned from CMS officials at a briefing for House of Representatives staff ricocheted around the country last week. While much of the data was confusing, one thing was clear: Nearly 63 percent of the bids in Round One were disqualified. CMS revealed that of the 1,005 unique bidders in Round One, 630 were disqualified due to insufficient applications. Initially, CMS

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-32178509942159618132008-04-22T06:38:00.001-07:002008-04-22T06:38:49.238-07:00

In a recent conference call, CMS clarified that a pharmacy must be accredited if it supplies nebulizers (i.e., DMEPOS) for Part B drugs, but not if it supplies only Part B drugs and no DME. Thus, if a customer obtains Part B drugs from a pharmacy, but obtains the nebulizer elsewhere, the pharmacy does not need to be accredited. However, CMS emphasized that enteral nutrients, equipment, and

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-46275404656703797052008-04-17T07:17:00.000-07:002008-04-17T07:18:40.758-07:00

The next time someone asks you why being an NCPA member is important, or why supporting NCPAPAC or the LDF is critical to your business margins, or why it is so hard to get Congress to make our legislation a priority in the face of competing interests, you can cite the info in this article: Health care interests spend more on federal lobbying ($445 million) than any other sector of the economy (

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-83068158849461694142008-04-09T06:37:00.000-07:002008-04-09T06:38:26.422-07:00

Over the last year, CMS has received numerous comments and suggestions regarding the proposed revisions to the Medicare enrollment applications. CMS reviewed the comments and adopted many of the suggested revisions. Also, CMS incorporated a number of enhancements and changes to clarify the enrollment process and to reduce the burden imposed on the provider and supplier communities. Make sure your

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-29908304206329762102008-04-02T06:47:00.001-07:002008-04-02T06:47:31.595-07:00

In announcing the first round of competitive bidding winners, CMS SAYS it ensured that small suppliers had the opportunity to participate in the competitive bidding program. More than 6,300 bids were received from hundreds of suppliers. Sixty-four percent of winning bidders are "small" suppliers. How many pharmacists were winning bidders? I don’t know, but I’m going to do my best to find out!

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-62800734788747346162008-03-24T06:48:00.000-07:002008-03-24T06:50:18.923-07:00

To view the Medicare Press Release, please click: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-23227005662404223962008-03-20T07:06:00.001-07:002008-03-20T07:06:35.790-07:00

An estimated 5.2 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, and it could rob one of eight Baby Boomers of their mental capacities, according to a report released Tuesday by the Alzheimer's Association. I’m told by my physician that forgetting what I was supposed to do when I get to the bottom of the steps is NOT Alzheimer’s. But, I still don't like it! Try not to take life too seriously my

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-71019493078045536322008-03-13T06:28:00.000-07:002008-03-13T06:30:04.641-07:00

A recent survey found that most pharmacists' salaries exceed $100,000. The average annual base salary was $107,403 in 2007, compared with $94,927 in 2006. It costs less than one quarter of one percent (0.0023 percent) of your yearly salary to have our collective voices heard through NCPA on Capitol Hill. In our business, we RARELY get deals like this one. Wondering about the return on

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-42386010103518931542008-03-05T06:51:00.000-08:002008-03-05T06:52:01.827-08:00

On March 1, 2008, Medicare claims submitted by physicians and other practitioners, laboratories, ambulance company suppliers, DMEPOS suppliers and others that bill Medicare are required to include the new National Provider Identifier (NPI). All 837P and CMS-1500 claims MUST have an NPI or NPI/legacy pair in the required primary provider fields. Failure to include an NPI will cause rejection of

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-56092070533244898952008-02-27T06:38:00.000-08:002008-02-27T06:39:33.094-08:00

Hospital spending will double to more than $1.3 trillion by 2017, making up roughly 30 percent of all healthcare spending and representing the largest portion, by far, of any provider group, according to the CMS.

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-79076364405667680692008-02-20T06:42:00.000-08:002008-02-20T06:43:19.727-08:00

CMS’ actuaries estimate that DME competitive bidding will produce the following savings for the Medicare trust funds beginning in FY 2009 ($ in millions): 2009 -- $ 640 2010 -- $1,030 2011 -- $1,100 2012 -- $1,190 2013 -- $1,290

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-77119887248694310732008-02-13T06:56:00.001-08:002008-02-13T06:56:46.997-08:00

A Senate bill introduced last week would impose a $500,000 surety bond requirement on providers of durable medical equipment (DME) to Medicare beneficiaries. The bill, S.2603, the “Medicare Fraud Prevention Act of 2008,” would increase the $50,000 surety bond requirement by a factor of 10. The bill would also increase civil and criminal fines for Medicare fraud and abuse. The bill is

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-48424974985208992312008-02-06T06:49:00.000-08:002008-02-06T06:53:02.029-08:00

Locations must be open a minimum of 30 hours a week. The CMS is also seeking comments on whether to establish a minimum square footage requirement. Suppliers must have comprehensive liability insurance of $300,000 per incident. Cell phones, beepers and answering machines can't be used as the primary business phone during operating hours. Suppliers can't use "a contract individual or entity to

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-31088497275831997722008-01-30T07:04:00.000-08:002008-01-30T07:06:54.205-08:00

“Accreditation is not just about writing a check and waiting for a survey. It’s up to providers to stay on top of the process. Do not sit back and wait. Do not assume that because you have sent a check in that you will (make) the deadlines. Go to your organization and they will tell you what your timeline is." -- CMS's Sandra Bastinelli, January 22 DME Accreditation 101 teleconference

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-39640900617114075372008-01-25T06:20:00.000-08:002008-01-25T06:21:51.577-08:00

While it is technically correct that you do not have to be accredited to become a DMEPOS subcontract supplier, supplying bid items like walkers, for a winning bidder, the point is now moot. If you sell just one box of diabetes testing strips, EVEN if you are a subcontracted supplier for walkers, you MUST obtain accreditation by September 30, 2009. Now, if you just want to sell walkers as a

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-5555551146950221862008-01-16T06:51:00.000-08:002008-01-16T06:52:16.274-08:00

After Medicare providers have submitted claims containing both NPIs and legacy identifiers and those claims have been paid, Medicare urges these providers to send a small batch of claims NOW with only the NPI in the primary provider fields. If the results are positive, begin increasing the number of claims in the batch. Note: All current and past CMS NPI communications are available by

dme alert servicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531727086764190190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4540521908813407981.post-33736190968023666542008-01-15T06:49:00.000-08:002008-01-15T06:51:06.416-08:00

DMEPOS Accreditation 101 Tuesday, January 22 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time This audio conference is the first in a series of four designed to provide guidance to DMEPOS suppliers regarding accreditation. Topics to be discussed will be compliance with the DMEPOS Quality Standards, the accreditation process and providing ample time to answer questions from the suppliers. To download the call

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