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
December 31, 2012

Medicare Bidding Blamed For Cutbacks

Editor’s Note:  Every independent expert who has examined Medicare’s “competitive bidding” program for home medical equipment has determined that it will fail.  Hundreds of economists, including Nobel laureates, and researchers working under a National Science Foundation grant and the Congressional Budget Office have all reached a similar conclusion.  HHS/CMS has been deaf to the science community and pursued their own deeply flawed plan.  Now the human toll is starting to be felt.  The article below explains why Congress must pass H.R. 6490 – The Medicare DMEPOS Market Pricing Program Act of 2012.

From: CBS/Miami

December 24, 2012

MPP: Co-sponsor tally rises, watchdog group tries another tack

From: HME News

by: Theresa Flaherty

WASHINGTON – The week before Christmas, HME industry stakeholders wrapped up seven more co-sponsors for H.R. 6490, bringing the total to 87.

“This demonstrates significant strength for this bill,” said Walt Gorski, vice president of government affairs for AAHomecare. “It’s not easy to get 80 or 90 co-sponsors on anything. Everyone is working hard to move the bill in any legislative vehicle this year.”

As the long holiday weekend advanced, it was looking like the industry might get a little extra time to do just that. The latest attempt by lawmakers to avert a looming fiscal crisis failed Dec. 20, leaving open the possibility that a solution could be pushed into the new year.

December 18, 2012

Unable to Justify Support for Competitive Bidding, NCHC Declines to Meet with CRE

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC), which describes itself as “America’s oldest, most diverse, and broadest based group working to achieve comprehensive health system reform” has proposed a major expansion of CMS’ competitive bidding program  “to the categories of durable medical equipment not included in the current program, including items such as nebulizers and ventilators.”  NCHC also supports “reducing the rate at which the federal government reimburses state Medicaid programs for DME” to Medicare levels.

December 13, 2012

MPP: Countdown to 100

From: HME News

WASHINGTON – H.R. 6490, a bill to replace the competitive bidding program with a market-pricing program (MPP), now has 80 co-sponsors.

The Library of Congress/Thomas updated the official tally of co-sponsors for the bill today, Dec. 12. The new co-sponsors are:

Reps. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla.;

Tom Graves, R-Ga.;

Chellie Pingree, D-Maine;

Niki Tsongas, D-Mass.;

Mike Rogers, R-Mich.;

Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo.;

Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y.;

Robert Turner, R-N.Y.;

Todd Platts, R-Pa.;

Bill Shuster, R-Pa.; and

Shelley Moore Capito, R-W. Va.

December 10, 2012

Industry ratchets up MPP talk

From: HME News

by: Theresa Flaherty

WASHINGTON – HME providers lit up the Capitol Hill switchboard Dec. 4 and 5 with one message: Support the market-pricing program (MPP).

The VGM Group and NAIMES, which spearheaded the efforts, estimate that 1,177 and 200 calls were made, respectively. The state with the most calls was Connecticut (132). Staffers for Rep. Christopher Murphy, D-Conn., told NEMED officials that he would take a closer look at H.R. 6490, a bill to replace the current competitive bidding program with MPP, as a result of the calls.

December 4, 2012

CMS to providers: Is your bid bona fide?

From: HME News

by: Liz Beaulieu

WASHINGTON – It appears CMS still has a ways to go before releasing the single payment amounts for Round 2 of competitive bidding.

The agency on Nov. 29 sent certain providers who submitted bids an email alerting them to expect an “urgent notification” that requires their “immediate attention and action,” but it wasn’t a contract offer.

“They are bona fide letters,” said Chris Rice, CEO of Diamond Respiratory Care in Riverside, Calif., who received a letter.