Tag: competitive bidding

WASHINGTON – CMS tonight released a “pivotal bid report” for Round 2021, in response to requests to share additional information on its latest round of the competitive bidding program. In the Las Vegas competitive bid area for example, the pivotal bid for CPAP devices, E601, was $110.80, a difference of 157.4% compared to the former CBA adjusted fee schedule amount. “CMS anticipates that this information will be helpful for stakeholders and other interested parties in...

YARMOUTH, Maine – The majority of competitive bidding contracts for off-the-shelf back braces in Round 2021 went to less than two-dozen companies, including a few that haven't traditionally provided them direct to consumer.  Companies with contracts include Hangar, a national provider of O&P; Medline, a distributor; and Breg, a manufacturer, which all won contracts nationally. Other contracts went to regional providers,...

WASHINGTON - CMS on Nov. 21 announced the contract suppliers for off-the-shelf knee and back braces in the next step in Round 2021 of its competitive bidding program.The agency announced on Oct. 27 that it had set the single payment amounts for the two product categories and had begun the contracting process.The payment amounts for OTS knee and back braces are, on average, 30% to 35% below Medicare's current fee schedule, based on a preliminary analysis by the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association.The...

WASHINGTON - HME providers that submitted bids for Round 2021 of competitive bidding now have the ability to view their financial score in Connexion. As part of the bid process, the competitive bidding implementation contractor evaluated a bidder's financial health by reviewing financial documents and calculating a financial score. The financial score is available to all bidders, even those that bid on the 13 product categories that were recently removed from the bid program. AAHomecare encourages...

WASHINGTON - The Council for Quality Respiratory Care recognizes November as National COPD Awareness Month by commending CMS for its plans not to award competitive bidding contracts to 13 product categories, including oxygen supplies and equipment, in 2021. If finalized, the proposal would ensure that patients will be able to continue accessing oxygen supplies and equipment amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the CQRC says. “We applaud CMS for properly addressing policies that could have threatened...

AAHomecare has published key takeaways from CMS's recent proposed rule outlining changes to the fee schedule methodology starting April 1, 2021, or immediately after the public health emergency, whichever is later…AAHomecare's Stand Up for Homecare, held during last week's Medtrade Virtual Conference, raised $6,500 toward the association's commitment to support ITEM Coalition. The coalition is a policy steering group for more than 80 patient advocacy organizations that have been strong allies on...

The big news story right now is the election and the herculean efforts by various states to count the unprecedented number of absentee and mail-in ballots, a task that stretched out well beyond the Nov. 3 vote. The chants - count the votes by some, and stop the count by others - got me to thinking about CMS's recent decision to drop 13 product categories from Round 2021 of competitive bidding. When the news broke, there was a first wave of relief - the industry had been lobbying CMS to pause Round...

ATLANTA - The Medtrade Virtual Conference that kicks off today will explore CMS's decision to remove 13 product categories from Round 2021 of the competitive bidding program. The conference, which takes place Nov. 4-5, features more than 25 educational sessions that will be available live and on-demand, including “CMS Competitive Bidding Announcement and Legislative Update: Where Do We Go From Here?” A pass is $79. “It's not uncommon to pay more than that for just one webinar, so...

WASHINGTON - CMS seeks to continue paying higher payment amounts to suppliers in non-competitive bidding areas as part of a DMEPOS proposed rule that it published on Tuesday afternoon.The agency also seeks to: permanently exempt manual wheelchairs and accessories from the bid program; classify all continuous glucose monitors, not just therapeutic CGMs, as DME and establish payment amounts for them and their related supplies and accessories; and expand the classification of external infusion pumps...

WASHINGTON - CMS has announced Round 2021 single payment amounts for off-the-shelf back braces and knee braces—and only those product categories. The agency says it is not awarding contracts for any of the 13 product categories that were previously competed because the payment amounts did not achieve expected savings. Contract offers for back and knee braces have been made in 127 CBAs, a move that CMS expects to save $600 million for the Medicare program and beneficiaries over...