CMS issued a final rule establishing a competitive bidding program for DMEPOS furnished to Medicare beneficiaries under Medicare Part B. The program will operate in 10 competitive bidding areas (CBAs) and will include 10 product categories of DMEPOS. The program will be phased in over several years with bidding starting in 2007 and payments in April, 2008.
The product categories and bid items may vary by CBAs. For 2007, the following items have been selected for competitive bidding:
- Oxygen Supplies and Equipment
- Standard Power Wheelchairs, Scooters, and Related Accessories
- Complex Rehabilitative Power Wheelchairs and Related Accessories
- Mail-Order Diabetic Supplies
- Enteral Nutrients, Equipment, and Supplies
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Devices, Respiratory Assist Devices (RADs), and Related Accessories
- Hospital Beds and Related Accessories
- Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) Pumps and Related Accessories
- Walkers and Related Accessories
- Support Surfaces (Group 2 and 3 mattresses and overlays)
In selecting CBAs, the statute allows the exemption of rural areas and areas with low population density within urban areas that are not competitive. The following CBAs have been selected for 2007:
- Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC
- Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN
- Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Kansas City, MO-KS
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL
- Orlando-Kissimmee, FL
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
- San Juan, PR
Please refer to the National Competitive Bidding Program section for more details or contact the Permobil Funding Department at 1-800-736-0925.