Though the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) originally said that competitive bidding would start at the end of April, the organization recently extended the deadline to early May. CMS also has populated the CBIC Web site, and last week posted the bid limits and weights for all HCPCS codes in the product categories subject to competitive bidding.

The CBIC site also hosts an educational Webcast, under Educational Tools on the Web site, to help acquaint suppliers in the 10 MSAs with competitive bidding. The Webcast highlights key bidding dates, provides an overview of the Competitive Bidding Program and guides bidders through required application forms. Providers can view the presentation at any time and then submit questions at the conclusion of the presentation.

In addition, some industry organizations have kicked off competitive bidding seminars, including The MED Group, which sponsored a free workshop for its members May 3-4 in Dallas, and AAHomecare, which has scheduled a survival seminar for May 9-10 in Houston. The VGM Group created a Web site to help educate its members (www.vgm.com).

For more information, visit the CBIC Web site at www.dmecompetitivebid.com. To skip searching through the Web site and download the capacity spreadsheets immediately, visit CompetingBid.com’s site at www.competingbid.com/docs/MSA2005.pdf and www.competingbid.com/docs/MSA2006.pdf. The product categories with weights and bid limits can also be downloaded instantly at www.competingbid.com/docs/bidlimits.pdf.