CMS is seeking input from stakeholders on how it should use data from the durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) competitive bidding program to adjust (cut) Medicare DMEPOS fee schedule amounts outside of bidding areas (CBAs), as required by the 21st Century Cures Act. The Cures Act mandates that CMS take such stakeholder feedback into account for fee schedule adjustments in non-CBAs beginning in 2019. CMS also must consider the highest amount bid by a winning supplier in a CBA, along with relative travel distances and costs, volumes of items and services, and number of suppliers in CBAs and non-CBAs.
CMS is hosting a call on March 23, 2017 to discuss these provisions; CMS also will accept comments until March 30, 2017. In addition, CMS published an educational article on how it is implementing a related Cures Act provision revising the schedule for phase-in adjustments to non-CBA DMEPOS rates based on competitive bidding.