Get Ready for DMEPOS Competitive Bidding - GET LICENSED AND ACCREDITED!

On March 7, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced plans for Round 2021 of the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program. CMS is consolidating the competitive bidding areas (CBAs) included in Round 1 2017 and Round 2 Recompete by conducting Round 2021 in the same geographic areas for a total of 130 CBAs.

If you are a supplier intending to bid, prepare now – don’t wait!

GET YOUR LOCATIONS LICENSED AND ACCREDITED!

GET LICENSED: Contracts are only awarded to bidders that meet all applicable state licensing requirements by the close of the bid window. Therefore, to be eligible for a competitive bidding contract, you must have current, non-expired state licenses in the Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS) for each supplier location (identified by a Provider Transaction Access Number (PTAN)) included on your bid by the close of the bid window. Each supplier location on your bid must be licensed for all lead and non-lead items in the product category for the particular CBA in which it currently furnishes or plans to furnish if awarded a DMEPOS competitive bidding contract.

A DMEPOS State License Directory for each state, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories may be found on the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) website. This directory provides general licensing requirements for DMEPOS products/services and contact information for each state’s licensing board or agency. This is only a guide. Licensing requirements change periodically, and it remains the responsibility of the bidder to identify, obtain, and have all current, non-expired required state licenses reflected in PECOS by the close of the bid window. For more information about licensing requirements, please consult the appropriate state licensing board/agency and see the Licensure for Bidders fact sheet.

GET ACCREDITED: Each supplier location on your bid must be accredited by a CMS approved accrediting organization for the lead and non-lead items in a product category by the close of the bid window. Any supplier that is interested in bidding for a product category but does not have its location(s) currently accredited must take action NOW to get accredited for that product category. Accrediting organizations report any accreditation updates to the NSC, so it is important that your locations are accredited early so your information will be up to date in PECOS. CMS cannot offer contracts to bidders that are not accredited by a CMS approved accrediting organization.

Further information on the DMEPOS accreditation requirements along with a list of the accrediting organizations and those professionals and other persons exempted from accreditation are available on the CMS website. As a reminder, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, section 3109, states that certain pharmacies are exempt from the accreditation requirement; however, all pharmacies must be accredited to be eligible for a competitive bidding contract.

Steps to take NOW:

• Ensure your CMS-855S enrollment application is up to date with the NSC, and that PECOS reflects the states and items that you currently furnish or plan to furnish if awarded a contract.
• Review the DMEPOS State License Directory to determine the applicable state licenses that are required to furnish all items in the product category in which you will submit a bid. Then, verify that you have the applicable and current, non-expired licensing information reflected in PECOS for each location(s) that will be included on your bid to furnish all items in the product category.
• Make sure your locations are accredited by a CMS approved accrediting organization to furnish all items in the product category in which you will submit a bid. Next, confirm that you have current, non-expired accreditation information reflected in PECOS for each location that will be included on your bid to furnish all items in the product category(s).

Note: If you determine that a state license and/or accreditation for a product category is current (not expired) in PECOS but will expire prior to the close of the bid window, you must get the location(s) re-licensed and/or re-accredited. In addition, the new “begin date” and “expiration date” fields must be updated in PECOS by the close of the bid window.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please call the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) customer service center at 877-577-5331 between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. prevailing Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.