07/15/2019

The 2019 DME Competitive Bidding Program - What You Need to Know

Be Prepared - Bid Window Opens Tomorrow!

CMS is making significant changes to the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, & Supplies (DMEPOS) competitive bidding program for Round 2021.  It’s important that all HME suppliers understand how the new bidding process works and be ready to bid smart when the bidding window opens tomorrow.

Major changes this year include: 

• Use of “lead item pricing” for bidding
• A “clearing price” that will set single payment amounts – no more median bids
• Bid Surety Bonds

To help bidders understand the system, OAMES along with the American Association for Homecare and other leading industry organizations have teamed up to develop an educational website with information and resources about the new process. The website also features a bid calculator showing how the new “lead item pricing” methodology impacts the rest of the products in each category and how the new rates would compare to current Medicare rates.  Learn more at: https://www.dmecbpeducation.com/   

Below is a reminder of the timelines and the opportunities to get educated including on-demand webinars, live webinars and a new in-person event scheduled Aug. 27 in Dallas.

CBIC Resources: 

Timelines: The CBIC continues to send out multiple listserv messages to educate bidding suppliers. Below are a few of the upcoming timelines: 

• Now through Friday, August 16, 2019: Registration for DBidS is open. It will close on Friday, August 16, 2019, at 7:59:59 p.m. central time.

• The bid window opens on Tuesday, July 16, 2019, and will close on Wednesday, September 18, 2019.

• Click here for the full timeline on the CBIC website. 

CBIC Assistance: If you have any questions or need assistance, call the CBIC customer service center at 877-577-5331 between 8:00 am – 6:00 pm Central, Monday through Friday, during the registration and bid windows. Hours will be extended until 8:00 pm Central during the last two weeks of the registration and bid windows. 

Education from the CBIC:  Register for the last webcast in the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program series:

• July 23, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. EDT - Registering and Submitting a Bid - Part 2

On demand sessions from previous webcast are also available: 

• May 14, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. EDT - Bid Surety Bond and Lead Item Pricing(On demand)
• May 21, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. EDT - Preparing and Submitting Financial Documents(On demand)
• June 11, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. EDT - Registering and Submitting a Bid - Part 1(On demand)

HME Industry Resources:

• NEW - August 27, 2019 –A full-day Bid Smart Summit in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, with Cara Bachenheimer, Government Affairs Practice, Brown & Fortunato; Kim Brummett, Vice President Regulatory Affairs, American Association for Homecare; and Mark J. Higley, Vice President Regulatory Affairs, VGM Group, Inc. Click here for more details and to register for the event.
• Industry website with tools and education: DME CBP Education is a website to help prepare DME’s for Medicare's next round of the DMEPOS competitive bidding program by compiling publicly available information in one place.