In brief: What's in final rule?; Will you grandfather?
By HME News Staff
Updated Thu November 4, 2010
WASHINGTON - CMS's final rule on payment policies for 2011 was published in the Federal Register last week. The rule contains numerous DME provisions, none of which should come as a surprise to HME providers, including the addition of 21 MSAs to the 70 MSAs already included in Round 2 of competitive bidding and the elimination of the first-month purchase option for standard power wheelchairs starting Jan. 1, 2011. One provision that was included in a previous draft of the rule but not in the final rule: A revision of the 36-month cap on Medicare reimbursement for oxygen to require providers who furnish equipment and receive payment in month 18 or later to do so for the remainder of the rental period or, if the beneficiary has relocated, to make arrangements to do so for the remainder of the rental period. To read the rule, CMS-1503-FC, go to http://www.cms.gov/PhysicianFeeSched/PFSFRN/list.asp#TopOfPage. To read Cara Bachanheimer's summary and analysis of the rule, go to http://www.invacare.com/HQ/EDITORIAL/20101103/HB%20-%20Nov%202%202010_CMS_Posts_Final_Physician_Payment_Rule_w_DME_provisions.pdf.
Plan to grandfather? Put it in writing
BALTIMORE - If you are located in a Round 1 competitive bidding area and didn't win a contract but plan to become a grandfathered supplier, you have until Wednesday, Nov. 17, to alert your patients and tell CMS. Patients must be notified by a letter postmarked no later than Nov. 17. To notify CMS, complete the form found here: http://www.dmecompetitivebid.com/palmetto/CBIC.nsf/GNF?OpenForm
Lifestyle change at Drive
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. - Drive Medical is bringing its Lifestyle Essentials line of aids to daily living products from Canada to the United States, it announced last week. The product line includes magnifiers, shoe horns, reachers and grab bars, among other items.
UroMed reaches out to patients online
SUWANEE, Ga. - UroMed, a leading provider of medical supplies, launched a new website last month (www.uromed.com) that offers patients a variety of catheter, urological and incontinence products. The site also provides medical updates on catheter use, educational videos and reference materials on spinal cord injury, spina bifida and multiple sclerosis.
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