DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Basics: The 5 W’s

competitive bidding

competitive biddingBy: Michael Silverman

WHO (does it impact)?

Any Medicare enrolled DMEPOS supplier that desires to service a Medicare Part B beneficiary with any medical equipment or device that is included in Medicare’s Competitive Bidding Program.

WHAT (is competitive bidding and what DMEPOS supplies are covered)?

In a nutshell, it’s essentially this: if a DMEPOS supplier wants to service a Medicare Part B patient with any of the following medical supplies covered by Medicare’s Competitive Bidding Program, such supplier must submit and win a ‘bid’ to provide such item in each and every geographic region covered by the Competitive Bidding Program in which they wish to be able to service beneficiaries within.Continue reading

DME License, Operation and More in Florida – a Brief Legal Look

DME operationBy: Susan St. John

So you are considering starting a home medical equipment aka durable medical equipment (HME or DME) business to provide products and services to patients in Florida (and perhaps in other states, but that’s a topic for another day). In addition to deciding what products and/or services you are going to provide and your physical location, there a few things you need to know, steps to be taken, and information to be collected, to apply for an HME/DME license in Florida to get up and going.

The Basics

Florida defines an HME provider as “any person or entity that sells or rents or offers to sell or rent to or for consumers, any HME and service or HME that requires HME services.” Section 400.925(7), Florida Statutes. Further, HME “includes any product as defined by the Food and Drug Administration’s Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, any products reimbursed under the Medicare Part B Durable Medical Equipment benefits, or any products reimbursed under the Florida Medicaid durable medical equipment program. HME includes oxygen and related respiratory equipment; manual, motorized, or customized wheelchairs and related seating and positioning, but does not include prosthetics or orthotics or any splints, braces, or aids custom fabricated by a licensed health care practitioner; motorized scooters; personal transfer systems; and specialty beds, for use by a person with a medical need.” Section 400.925(6), Florida Statutes.Continue reading