The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the bidding timeline for the Round 1 2017 competition of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program. CMS also launched a comprehensive bidder education program for DMEPOS suppliers so they can receive bidding information and assistance to submit bids. Registration for user IDs and passwords begins August 25, 2015; the bid window opens October 15, 2015, and closes December 16, 2015.
The competitive bidding program, mandated by Congress in the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), replaces the Medicare fee schedule for certain durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) in competitive bidding areas across the country. Orthotics and prosthetics are essentially exempted from the current competitive bidding program, and competitive bidding is not being applied to off-the-shelf orthotics.
CMS encouraged suppliers to visit the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) website at www.dmecompetitivebid.com for education and resources, including the bidding timeline, bidding rules, user guides, fact sheets, checklists, and bid preparation worksheets, and to sign up for e-mail updates. Bidders can also call the CBIC customer service center toll-free at 877.577.5331 with questions. During registration and bidding periods, the customer service center will be open from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET. The hours will be extended to 9 p.m. ET during the last two weeks of the registration and bidding windows.
