In brief: Budget includes familiar cuts, CMS schedules forum on PMD demo

WASHINGTON - President Obama's proposed federal budget for 2013 recycles cuts like limiting Medicaid payments for certain DME in competitive bidding areas to what Medicare pays in those areas. This would save an estimated $3 billion over 10 years. The budget also mentions other familiar provisions, such as requiring face-to-face encounters for DME. Also of note: The budget increases spending for administrative costs at CMS by 25.9%, according to The Wall Street Journal. Why? The agency says it needs about $864 million to open the federally run health insurance exchange program slated to start in 2014, according to the newspaper.

CMS schedules forum for PMD demo

BALTIMORE - CMS will host a Special Open Door Forum on the power mobility device (PMD) demonstration at 3 p.m. Feb. 23. The agency announced in January that the demo would no longer include a prepay review phase and that it would begin on or after June 1. Details about the forum, including dial-in information, will be posted to http://go.CMS.gov/PAdemo.

Another bid deadline approaches

BALTIMORE - HME providers participating in Round 2 of competitive bidding must submit their hardcopy financial documents on or before Feb. 29 if they want CMS to notify them of missing documents. CMS urged all providers to take advantage of this "covered document review" process in a bulletin last week. The process does not indicate whether documents are acceptable, accurate or meet applicable requirements. Providers must submit missing documents within 10 business days of notification. FMI go here.

DeVilbiss extends warranty

SOMERSET, Pa. - DeVilbiss Healthcare in February announced an extended warranty plan for its line of IntelliPap CPAP systems. The plan lengthens the three-year warranty for an additional two years. It covers repair or replacement of the entire IntelliPap unit. Labor costs associated with repair or replacement are also covered. Users have the option of purchasing the plan for a fee from providers at the time of product purchase or up to 180 days from the provider's point of purchase from DeVilbiss.