Bid News Blog

This news site presents breaking news on the CMS competitive bidding programs. It is interactive and readers are encouraged to post stories in their names or anonymously
April 24, 2012

CMS changes name of bidding game

From: HME News

by: Theresa Flaherty

BALTIMORE – CMS seems to have left no stone unturned when it comes to the products included in a “recompete” of Round 1 of competitive bidding, say industry stakeholders.

The Round 2 product categories comprised about 200 codes; the Round 1 “recompete” product categories comprise just more than 300 codes.

“It’s pretty much everything under the sun that a typical DME uses,” said Rob Brant, founder of AMEPA. “I don’t think there’s anything they left out except for orthotics.”

April 20, 2012

Death in Pittsburgh?

CMS data appears to show that Medicare beneficiaries in Pittsburgh who receive Durable Medical Equipment (DME) through CMS’ competitive bidding program have higher death rates compared to Detroit which does not yet have DME acquisition through the bidding program. As an article in Inside Health Policy observed,

For example, charts in the CMS report show that death rates were higher in Pittsburgh, where products are competitively bid, compared with Detroit, where there is no bidding.

Higher death rates of Medicare beneficiaries as a result of competitive bidding was also expected by Professor Peter Cramton of the University of Maryland based on his analysis of CMS data. As Dr. Cramton explained,

April 11, 2012

The CBIC Website

From: CMS

CBIC Website Enhancements Coming Soon

The Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) website, www.dmecompetitivebid.com, is being reorganized. What does this mean for you? It means it will be easier to locate the specific information that applies to each competitive bidding round. For example, you will be able to go to the Round 1 Rebid section for information about the Round 1 Rebid or go to the Round 2 and national mail-order section for information about these two competitions. Also, you will be able to receive round-specific e-mail notifications and updates.

April 2, 2012

Please Join the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) at Medtrade

From: CMS

The 2012 Spring Medtrade Conference and Exposition is coming soon! This year’s conference will be held April 10th – 12th at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The CBIC outreach and education team will be available to answer your questions at the Medicare Contractors booth #957. Joining us at the booth will be representatives from DME MAC Jurisdictions A, B, C, and D; the National Supplier Clearinghouse; and the Common Electronic Data Interchange contractor. On April 12th, the CBIC will provide a one-hour presentation on the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies Competitive Bidding Program.