After the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sought public comment earlier this year in February regarding plans to expand competitive bidding nationally by 2016, it has now released a proposed rule for the plan.
The proposed rule, titled “Medicare Program: End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, Quality Incentive Program, and Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies,” includes the methodology for making national price adjustments to payments for DMEPOS providers not in Rounds One or Two that would be paid under fee schedules based the current competitive bidding program.
A key problem with the proposed rule is that it would set rates for rural providers based on national bidding rates. Those providers would be put in the position of having much lower reimbursement, without any kind of volume increase to support the lost reimbursement.
CMS is soliciting comments on various element of the proposed rule (linked above). To submit comments online, visit www.regulations.gov and follow the “Submit a comment” instructions. The deadline is Sept. 2.