One week after unveiling the next round of Medicare durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) competitive bidding, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a "temporary delay" in order "to allow the new administration further opportunity to review the program." Specifically, on January 31, 2017, CMS revealed plans for "Round 2019" of the DMEPOS competitive bidding program, which would consolidate the following current rounds: Round 1 2017, Round 2 Recompete, and the National Mail-Order Recompete. CMS stated its intention to conduct bidding this summer for 11 product categories in 141 competitive bidding areas, with Round 2019 contracts in effect from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2021. CMS stated that it would implement a number of revisions to the bidding process with this round, including a new "lead item" bidding methodology and a surety bond requirement. On February 7, CMS announced the delay in moving ahead on Round 2019, and the agency removed all related information on the CMS and Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) websites. CMS did not release any details on its timeline for making a determination on whether or how to proceed with the next round of bidding.
This article is presented for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice.