Legislators question bid program

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan letter to CMS led by Tom Price, R-Ga., and co-signed by 100 U.S. representatives, is calling into question the competitive bidding program, according to an AMEPA newsletter. Largely in response to editorials published in the Washington Post and USA Today, which both supported competitive bidding, the letter addresses severe cuts in Round 2 of the program, potential negative consequences for patient access, and the lack of transparency on the part of CMS. In the letter, lawmakers ask for the following information: The financial standards used to determine if a provider is qualified to bid; how patient demand is determined; details about how provider capacity to meet patient demand is determined; and whether CMS would consider delaying implementation of Round 2.