DME Industry 2021 Year End Review & Looking Into 2022

Many DME providers have had tremendous hurdles to overcome this year, from the implementation of a new round of Medicare’s Competitive Bidding Program through continued impacts of COVID-19. Mergers and acquisitions are through the roof as a result, as are continued compliance concerns that plague the industry.

Let’s dive into some of the major DME related matters & issues that have come across my desk this year, and what to be on the lookout for in the next.

Competitive Bidding Impacts

After much uncertainty about what DME products would actually be included upon its implementation, Round 2021 of Medicare’s Competitive Bidding Program (“CBP”) kicked off at the beginning of this year.

With off-the-shelf knee and lumbar braces (HCPCS Code OR03) included in Round 2021 of the CBP – and thus ability to supply such devices to beneficiaries in competitive bid areas restricted to bid-winners – non bid-winning DME providers have been scrambling to find new revenue streams to fill the void. Unfortunately, many are doing so in a non-compliant manner.Continue reading

Competitive Bid Checklist for DME Providers

By: Michael Silverman

Come January 2021, if a DME provider has not been awarded a CMS contract to supply a competitively bid item to a Medicare beneficiary that resides in a competitive bid area it will be unable to do so.

Suppliers looking to participate in the latest rendition of CMS’ Competitive Bidding Program need to act now to try and secure a bid.

Otherwise, once implemented, only DME providers that have won a bid for that specific item in that geographical bid area can service Medicare beneficiaries residing therein.

Here’s a ‘to-do’ list for providers looking to participate with a competitive bid, and the latest timeline updates from CMS.Continue reading