The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced plans to recompete the supplier contracts awarded in Round 1 Recompete of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program. CMS is required by law to recompete contracts under the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program at least once every three years. The Round 1 Recompete contract period for all product categories expires on December 31, 2016.
Orthotics and prosthetics are essentially exempted from the current competitive bidding program, and competitive bidding is not being applied to off-the-shelf (OTS) orthoses.
The Round 1 2017 product categories follow:
- Enteral nutrients, equipment and supplies
- General home equipment and related supplies and accessories
- Nebulizers and related supplies
- Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) pumps and related supplies and accessories
- Noninvasive pressure support ventilators
- Respiratory equipment and related supplies and accessories
- Standard mobility equipment and related accessories
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) devices and supplies
CMS said it will announce the bidding schedule and begin a bidder education program this summer. Bidding will begin in the fall.
