Bid News Blog

From: Home Care Magazine

Round 2 of competitive bidding has dealt providers of diabetes supplies a roundhouse blow; how to recover?

by Greg Thompson

Tim Binkley got out while the getting was good, opting to sell the Medicare portion of Valentine’s Diabetic Supply last year. As president and CEO of the Roswell, Ga.-based supplier, he had seen enough. “We saw what happened with the first round of competitive bidding and its 56 percent cut,” he says. “It was unbelievable to think we could stay in business, and now they have cut it even more, 72 percent, with Round 2.”

Editor’s Note:  The following is the verbatim communication received from a health care provider.  CRE thanks the writer for their insights and their commitiment to caring for Medicare beneficiaries despite CMS’ policies that harm the quality of care.  The legal issue raised by the reader should be addressed by HHS/CMS.

To Whom It May Concern,

From: Home Care Magazine

CUMMING, Ga., March 15, 2013—Rob Brant of Accredited Medical Equipment Providers of America (AMEPA) has coordinated a relaunch of the White House petition to replace Medicare’s current bidding program with the Market Pricing Program. White House petitions only last 30 days and need 100,000 signatures in order to gain a response from the president. Brant believes the industry can gain well over 100,000 signatures with the use of www.savepatientaccess.com, which redirects browsers to the new White House petition link. Now patients, providers and the health care community can add their voice against the current flawed program by entering www.savepatientaccess.cominstead of a 100+ character weblink.

From: Health Care Finance News

Debra A. McCurdy, Reed Smith

From: HME News

WASHINGTON – CMS notified providers on March 8 that reimbursement for claims for durable medical equipment and supplies, including those provided in competitive bidding areas, will be reduced by 2% on April 1.

The reimbursement for claims will be reduced based on whether the date of service, or the start date for rental equipment or multi-day supplies, is on or after April 1.

The cut is part of mandatory across-the-board spending cuts in federal spending.