Tag: Licensure
OIG report is 'slap on the wrist,' providers say
December 15, 2017Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine - A recent report on unlicensed suppliers receiving bid contracts re-opened old wounds for providers, who say it amounts to nothing more than a slap on the wrist for CMS.In a November report, the Office of Inspector General found that CMS did not follow its own processes for the competitive bidding program, and, as a result, the agency awarded Round 2 contracts to 23 suppliers it shouldn't have: 13 that did not meet licensure requirements and 10 to suppliers that did not meet financial...
Georgia passes licensure requirement
April 12, 2017HME News Staff
ATLANTA - Georgia's House of Representatives and Senate have passed a bill that establishes a licensure requirement for DME suppliers. Under the requirement, a supplier must submit the appropriate forms as prescribed by the Georgia State Board of Pharmacy, submit the requisite license fee, and maintain an office or place of business within Georgia. The supplier must also meet safety standards, including ensuring all personnel engaged in delivery, maintenance and repair of DME receive annual continuing...
OIG report finds some contract suppliers did not meet all licensure requirements
May 26, 2016HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - A significant chunk of Round 2 contract suppliers did not meet all licensure requirements, according to a new report from the Office of Inspector General.
“Of the 146 suppliers covered in our audit, 69 suppliers met licensure requirements,' stated the OIG. “However, 63 suppliers did not meet licensure requirements for some of the competitions for which they received a contract.”
An additional 14 suppliers need further research to determine whether they met...
Arkansas recognizes BOC for licensure
March 25, 2016HME News Staff
OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Arkansas is the latest state to recognize Board of Certification/Accreditation examinations for licensure of providers in the orthotic, prosthetic and pedorthic professions. The Arkansas Department of Health made the rule change in January following a recommendation by the Arkansas Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics Advisory Board. CMS, Veterans Affairs and other states have recognized BOC credentials to ensure requisite knowledge and competence to provide quality care. The Arkansas...
Technical difficulties, or as one provider called it, “CBIC/NSC Goofs”
June 2, 2015Liz Beaulieu, Editor
No sooner had I heard that CMS had sent out letters to providers asking them to review their bids as part of the Round 2 re-compete had I started hearing of issues.
The letters prompt providers to verify with the applicable organizations that they have met requirements required for submitting bids. The reaction started on twitter.
One provider tweeted me, “My analysis shows a BIG disconnect between CBIC/NSC and accrediting bodies.” His emphasis, not mine. A few tweets back and forth and...
CMS on notice to follow licensure rules
May 1, 2015Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON - While most of the attention on recently passed legislation has focused on binding bids, another provision aimed at improving the competitive bidding program has essentially already taken effect: licensure.“This is not something that Congress should have had to do but a lot of folks were completely incensed that CMS was just blithely offering contracts to companies,” said Cara Bachenheimer, senior vice president of government relations for Invacare. “This sends a strong...
Colorado governor signs licensure bill
April 15, 2015HME News Staff
DENVER - The governor of Colorado recently signed an amended bill that requires DME providers to obtain licenses. The bill was originally passed in 2014, but it was held up when the state attorney general expressed concerns that a brick-and-mortar requirement violated the Federal Commerce Clause. “To resolve the issue, the group from the Colorado Association of Medical Equipment Services and other Colorado DME suppliers decided to remove diabetic suppliers and small pharmacies from the bill...
Bill paves way for oxygen providers
April 14, 2015HME News Staff
MADISON, Wis. - Gov. Scott Walker has signed into law a bill that allows HME providers to provide home oxygen therapy without a pharmacist on staff. The bill, which takes effect May 1, paves the way for providers to dispense oxygen through a licensure program administered by the Pharmacy Examining Board. “This is a big step for the home medical equipment industry and ensures that all providers in the state are compliant,” stated Jim Spellman, president of the Wisconsin Association of...
Lawmakers introduce bid bill
June 20, 2014HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Reps. Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, and John Larson, D-Conn., have introduced a bill that would require providers to obtain bid bonds as part of future rounds of competitive bidding.H.R. 4920, the Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Improvement Act of 2014, would also require providers to prove they meet licensure requirements before they submit bids.“AAHomecare is putting the full weight of the industry behind this practical piece of legislation,” stated Tom Ryan, president and CEO...
Maryland streamlines DME licensure requirements
April 10, 2014HME News Staff
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Maryland lawmakers have passed a pair of bills to remove the pharmacy licensure requirement for DME, the Maryland-National Capital Homecare Association (MNCHA) announced April 8. DME providers in the state are licensed by the Office of Healthcare Quality as residential service agencies, but were also subject to pharmacy licensure requirements by the Maryland Board of Pharmacy, according to a release. In 2013, DME licensing fees increased from $500 per year to $3,000 every three years;...