Home Health & Hospice Week

Competitive bidding education from Palmetto in the offing.

Suppliers hungry for information on competitive bidding have a new go-to Web site.

On March 23, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services unveiled the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) Web site.

Contractor Palmetto GBA is the CBIC, meaning that it will help administer DMEPOS competitive bidding. These functions include preparing the request for bids, performing bid evaluations and ensuring that suppliers meet all applicable financial and quality standards.

The contractor will also help educate DME suppliers interested in the program. Educational programs for beneficiaries and referral agents are also on Palmetto's agenda. 

And Palmetto will assist CMS and its other contractors in monitoring the program's effectiveness, access and quality, CMS says in a release.

The CBIC Web site is at www.cms.hhs.gov/competitiveacqfordmepos/01_overview.asp? --once there, scroll down to "Related Links Outside CMS" and click on the link to "Contractor (CBIC) Web site".