Bid News Blog

The first in a series of educational webcasts for the Round 1 Recompete of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program is now available on the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) website. This webcast, Welcome to the Round 1 Recompete, provides background information on the program and information about the educational resources available to assist you in participating.

The webcast is available on demand to view at your convenience – 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  There is no charge to view the webcast, and a transcript is also posted on the website. To view the webcast, please go to the Round 1 Recompete homepage on this website and select Educational Information and then choose Education Events.

From: Home Care Magazine

BALTIMORE, Aug. 21, 2012—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announces that registration is now open to all suppliers interested in participating in the Round 1 Recompete of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program.

In order to submit a bid for the Round 1 Recompete, you must first register in the Individuals Authorized Access to the CMS Computer Services (IACS) online application. Once you have registered in IACS you will receive a user ID and password to access the online DMEPOS Bidding System (DBidS). You must register even if you registered during a previous round of competition (Round 1 Rebid, Round 2, or the national mail-order competition). Only suppliers who have a user ID and password will be able to access DBidS; suppliers that do not register will not be able to bid.

From: VGM

From Mark Higley

We are in the process of updating our “VGM Competitive Bidding Services” web pages.  You can access the site from the front page banner at vgm.com, or directly via http://www.vgmncbservices.com/.

Upon accessing the page, you will see three large “buttons”, in addition to several links which offer more detailed information…but start with the buttons.

The first (on the left) is titled “Recompete Bidding in 3 Easy Steps”…and it’s just that.  It is designed for the HME bidder who doesn’t want to plow through 100 pages of the RFB…at least not right now.  If you are going to bid — read it.

Editor’s Note:  The Center for Regulatory Effectiveness’ comments to the White House Office of Management and Budget on CMS’ Information Collection Request for the home medical equipment bidding program is attached here. 

CRE’s comments document that the initial round of their program has “reduced the small business share of the Medicare home medical equipment market by almost half from CMS projections for 2012 and radically reduces the number of Medicare supplies by 85-95%.”

Moreover, “the overwhelming consensus by academic and federal experts” is that CMS program faces the “high probability of failure in the near future” and a “near certainty of failure sometime down the road.”

From: CMS

8/16/2012 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announces bidding timeline, begins bidder education program

8/20/2012* Registration for user IDs and passwords begins

9/7/2012* Authorized Officials are strongly encouraged to register no later than this date

9/28/2012* Backup Authorized Officials are strongly encouraged to register no later than this date

10/15/2012* CMS opens 60-day bid window for Round 1 Recompete

10/19/2012* Registration closes

11/14/2012* Covered document review date for bidders to submit financial documents

12/14/2012* 60-day bid window closes

Spring 2013* CMS announces single payment amounts, begins contracting process

CMS released the following documents today:

Round 1 Recompete Bid Preparation Worksheets – All Product Categories (XLS, XLS – 886 KB)

Respiratory Equipment and Related Supplies and Accessories (PDF, PDF – 545 KB)

Standard Mobility Equipment and Related Accessories (PDF, PDF – 447 KB)

General Home Equipment and Related Supplies and Accessories (PDF, PDF – 227 KB)

Enteral Nutrients, Equipment and Supplies (PDF, PDF – 157 KB)

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) Pumps and Related Supplies and Accessories (PDF, PDF – 126 KB)

External Infusion Pumps and Supplies (PDF, PDF – 176 KB)

From: VGM

WATERLOO, Iowa – A study released Monday reveals that calling the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services results in at least a five-minute wait before a human voice is heard.

An independent accounting firm, Hogan-Hansen PC of Waterloo, Iowa, conducted the study for Last Chance for Patient Choice, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending competitive bidding for home medical equipment, and the American Association for Homecare.

Editor’s Note:  The reference in the sub-headline of the article below to the program’s “supporters” refers only to CMS, not to independent experts who have analyzed the program.

From: Healthcare Finance News

But supporters decry the research results

Critics of a pilot program designed to lower the cost of medical equipment purchased by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently received support for their concerns in a new report released by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). But while the models used by researchers confirmed earlier outside assessments of the program, the director of the program says the researchers got it wrong.

From: HME News

by: Theresa Flaherty

YARMOUTH, Maine – CPAP providers who want more guidance on the new re-supply rule will get it—eventually.

The four CMS medical directors are working on a FAQ, according to Dr. Robert Hoover, medical director at Cigna Government Services, the Jurisdiction C DME MAC.

“I think the volume of questions has gotten to the point where it would be useful to do an article or FAQ,” he said. “As far as a date, we have some other things on our plate first.”

From: Office of Sen. Orin Hatch/Press Release

In letter to Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner, Senators Request Analysis of the  New Fraud Prevention System Program, Question Use of Taxpayer Dollars

Citing concerns over the use of taxpayer dollars to fund a multi-million dollar fraud program that has failed to deliver clear results, U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Committee member Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) are demanding answers from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In a letter to CMS Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner today, the Senators asked for a detailed analysis about the Fraud Prevention System (FPS) program and requested specific data regarding performance metrics, the targeting of claims for review, and actual program results.