The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a new fact sheet entitled ” The Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program – A Better Way for Medicare to Pay for Medical Equipment ” (February 2010).  According to CMS, this fact sheet gives providers and suppliers an overview of the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program and information regarding the... 

On March 11, 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released its Compendium of Unimplemented Office of Inspector General Recommendations (March 2010). The Compendium includes information about OIG recommendations that had not been fully implemented as of September 30, 2009.  The Compendium also includes a list of “priority recommendations,” which the OIG believes represent the... 

In a February 17, 2010 letter , the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently addressed its updated Special Fraud Alert titled ” Telemarketing by Durable Medical Equipment Suppliers .” In the letter , the OIG states that it “uses Special Fraud Alerts as vehicles to identify fraudulent and abusive practices within the health care industry” and that the updated alert “does... 

As previously reported, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be hosting a meeting with the Program Advisory and Oversight Committee (PAOC) from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (EDT) on March 17, 2010. During the meeting, PAOC will discuss the Round 1 Rebid and upcoming rounds of the Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program .To participate in the meeting, one must register on-line .  CMS has  Read More →

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that it will hold the next Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum at 2:00 p.m. (ET) on March 10, 2010. To participate by telephone, one must dial 1-800-837-1935 and reference conference ID 49632727. To participate in person, RSVP and security clearance is required.  One must RSVP by 2:00 p.m. (ET) on March 8, 2010 to HOMEHEALTH_HOSPICE_DMEODF-L@cms.hhs.gov, and... 

DCS Healthcare (DCS), the Medicare recovery audit contractor  (RAC) for Region A, recently posted a new CMS approved audit issue for RAC review on its website pertaining to DME suppliers. According to the DCS website, the issue is titled “Oxygen Accessories” and it applies to all states within Region A. Region A includes Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,... 

Below are the top ten Medicare Update posts during January 2010 (based on the number of views): 1)   CMS Proposes Meaningful Use Definition and Standards for Electronic Health Record Incentives Program 2)   DOJ/HHS to Hold National Summit on Health Care Fraud 3)   New Requirements Cause Thousands of DMEPOS Suppliers to Exit Medicare Program 4)   Region D Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Adds More CMS Approved Audit Issues 5)   Region... 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be hosting a meeting with the Program Advisory and Oversight Committee (PAOC) from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (EST) on February 23, 2010. During the meeting, the PAOC will discuss the Round 1 Rebid and upcoming rounds of the Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program . CMS reports that it expects to begin registration for the meeting within the next few weeks and will send a listserv... 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be hosting a meeting with the Program Advisory and Oversight Committee (PAOC) from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (EST) on February 23, 2010. During the meeting, the PAOC will discuss the Round 1 Rebid and upcoming rounds of the Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program . CMS reports that it expects to begin registration for the meeting within the next few weeks and will send a listserv... 

HealthDataInsights, Inc. (HDI), the Medicare recovery audit contractor (RAC) for Region D, recently posted new CMS approved audit issues for RAC review on its website.  Specifically, HDI added the following new CMS approved audit issues : Medical Supplies and Home Health Consolidated Billing Date of Death – DME The above issues apply to all states within Region D. See the HDI website for more details regarding the new CMS approved audit... 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued Transmittal 620 (Change Request 6779) and alerted various Medicare contractors about 4 Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General reports (OIG Reports). Among other things, Transmittal 620 instructs certain Medicare contractors to “review the claims data particularly for services mentioned in the OIG reports” and “take appropriate... 

On January 14, 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) published an updated Special Fraud Alert titled ” Telemarketing by Durable Medical Equipment Suppliers .” According to the OIG, the updated Special Fraud Alert is being released to highlight concerns about DMEPOS suppliers contacting Medicare beneficiaries by telephone based solely on treating physicians’ written or verbal...