House bill would delay competitive DME bidding

The U.S. House of Representatives is currently considering a proposal introduced by Reps. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) and Dave Camp (R-Mich.) to delay implementation of the Medicare durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) competitive bidding program, which is currently scheduled to begin in 10 metropolitan areas on July 1. The Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Acquisition Reform Act of 2008 would delay implementation of the program, and among other things, make improvements to the bidding process and establish quality measures for DME suppliers in Medicare. The cost of the delay would be offset by a reduction in current DMEPOS payment rates. Additional features of the bill include: excluding physicians and other practitioners from DMEPOS accreditation requirements until CMS develops provider-specific standards and allowing physicians and other practitioners to supply "off-the-shelf orthotics" to their patients without being awarded a competitive bidding contract.
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