CMS has slated a call for 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time on March 23 for DMEPOS stakeholders to provide feedback on the methodology and information the agency will use for adjusting fee schedules for items covered by the application of competitive bidding pricing to non-bid areas in 2019.
The call is required by the CURES Act. In addition to providing temporary rural bidding relief, the CURES Act also mandated that CMS solicit and take into account stakeholder input on how it should approach fee adjustments in non-competitive bidding areas beginning in 2019.
In addition to factoring in considerations such as the highest amount bid by a winning supplier in a competitive bidding area, CMS must also compare various factors with respect to non-competitive bidding areas and competitive bidding areas, such as:
- Average travel distance and costs associated with furnishing DME/HME items and services in an area.
- Average volume of items and services furnished by suppliers in an area (which can be considerably lower for rural providers, for instance).
- The number of suppliers in an area.
To register for the call, providers and other stakeholders should visit the MLN Connects Event Registration website, and click the blue register button for “DMEPOS Adjusted Fee Methodology for Non-Bid Areas.”
In addition to providing feedback during the call, stakeholders can also submit comments via email to DMEPOS@cms.hhs.gov, no later than April 6.