Medicare’s competitive bidding process for DME may get a bit easier to track soon.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services “plans to consolidate all rounds and areas included in the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program into a single round of competition — Round 2019,” the agency says in a release. “After the current Round 1 2017, Round 2 Recompete, and National Mail-Order competitions conclude on December 31, 2018, Round 2019 contracts will become effective on January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2021.”
The new Round 2019 will include 141 competitive bidding areas and 11 product categories, CMS says.