It all started with an e-mail from one of our readers. It went something like this: Can’t HME News help the industry collect and report on problems that will occur as a result of competitive bidding?
Although error rates remain high for standard power wheelchair claims, a CMS contractor announced on Dec. 29 that it plans to discontinue its review due to upcoming changes in payment for K0823.
On Dec. 28, contract suppliers and others phoned into a teleconference with officials from the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) to discuss competitive bidding. With only three days until Jan.
Check out these two front pages from HME News, the first from January 2010 issue and the second from January 2011 issue. (Click on the thumbnails to get a slightly larger version of the front pages.)
What are the chances that competitive bidding will run smoothly when it's up and running Jan. 1? Not very good, based on what a provider told me this morning:
With the first-month purchase option for standard power wheelchairs scheduled to be eliminated Jan. 1, you might want to review what little guidance CMS and its contractors have released about the change.
It will surprise none of our readers that stories on competitive bidding were the 1st and 2nd most viewed stories on HME News’ website in 2010: “CMS releases names of winning bidders,” with 7,734 views; and
I spoke with Seth Johnson earlier today for an update on efforts to delay elimination of the first-month purchase option for standard power wheelchairs.
