CMS will host a provider call on June 12 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT specifically for referral agents and non-contract suppliers in round one of competitive bidding, which goes into effect July 1. The call won’t address contract supplier issues and is instead focused on questions from non-contract suppliers and referral agents.

Participants must register for the call by going to http://www2.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/061208, filling in the form, verifying their time zone, and clicking “register.”

A replay of the call will be available from 3 p.m. EDT on June 12 until 11:59 p.m. EDT June 17. To listen to the replay, call 800-642-1687 and enter 49895703 for the passcode.

The agency has also released a tip sheet for physicians and other treating practitioners who are enrolled as DMEPOS suppliers. The tip sheet describes how the July 1 implementation of competitive bidding round one will affect them.

The sheet outlines exceptions to competitive bidding where physicians and other treating practitioners enrolled as DMEPOS suppliers can provide certain types of competitively bid items in a CBA to their own patients without being selected as a contract supplier.  The tip sheet can be downloaded at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOSCompetitiveBid by clicking on the “Provider Educational Products and Resources” tab, and scrolling down to the “Downloads” section.