Bill Popomaronis, R.Ph., NCPA vice president, home health and long term care pharmacy services, provides his thoughts and explanations on the latest DME information from CMS.
Monday, September 24, 2007
National Competitive Bidding Deadline Tomorrow
Pharmacist that supply DMEPOS and plan to participate in the first round of national competitive bidding must submit their bids by 9 p.m. EST tomorrow, Sept. 25. I know their aren’t many of you out there, but I thought I’d let you know anyway.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
I’m Disappointed...
CMS has scheduled the next PAOC meeting right in the middle of the NCPA Annual Convention in Anaheim. I'll be speaking at the Convention about the challenges of accreditation and competitive bidding. Member concerns regarding surety bonds, accreditation costs and the inappropriateness of the CMS small supplier definition need to be discussed…so I’m NOT happy. I’ll make my concerns known to CMS, but I’d rather do it my self!
If you want to attend as a guest the link below is for sign in.
Program Advisory and Oversight Committee (PAOC) Meeting
October 11, 2007
MEETING SITE
Hilton Pikesville Hotel
1726 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, MD 21208-2984
Phone: 410-653-1100
Fax: 410-415-6231
MEETING TIMES:
October 11, 2007– 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thank you for agreeing to participate in the Program Advisory and Oversight Committee (PAOC) Meeting, sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). B L Seamon Corporation (BLS), under contract to CMS, is providing administrative and logistical support for the meeting.
Please take a few minutes to review the following information and to visit http://www.blsmeetings.net/H1102 no later than Monday, September 24, 2007, to confirm your participation at the meeting.
If you want to attend as a guest the link below is for sign in.
Program Advisory and Oversight Committee (PAOC) Meeting
October 11, 2007
MEETING SITE
Hilton Pikesville Hotel
1726 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, MD 21208-2984
Phone: 410-653-1100
Fax: 410-415-6231
MEETING TIMES:
October 11, 2007– 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thank you for agreeing to participate in the Program Advisory and Oversight Committee (PAOC) Meeting, sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). B L Seamon Corporation (BLS), under contract to CMS, is providing administrative and logistical support for the meeting.
Please take a few minutes to review the following information and to visit http://www.blsmeetings.net/H1102 no later than Monday, September 24, 2007, to confirm your participation at the meeting.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Full Steam Ahead for Competitive Bidding
On Tuesday, September 11, President Bush designated Kerry N. Weems as acting CMS administrator.
Also announced was the appointment of Herb Kuhn as deputy CMS administrator. Kuhn has served for nearly a year as acting deputy administrator.
Speaking at the American Association for Homecare's Legislative Conference in June, Kuhn told the group that CMS is moving toward full implementation of competitive bidding and intends to enforce its final rule on the program--mandated by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003--as it stands.
Also announced was the appointment of Herb Kuhn as deputy CMS administrator. Kuhn has served for nearly a year as acting deputy administrator.
Speaking at the American Association for Homecare's Legislative Conference in June, Kuhn told the group that CMS is moving toward full implementation of competitive bidding and intends to enforce its final rule on the program--mandated by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003--as it stands.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
My 'Accreditation Corner'
A new feature has been added to the DME Resource Center (www.pharmacistelink.com/medicaredme) entitled "Accreditation Corner."
As you know by now, in order to maintain a Medicare Part B supplier billing number ALL suppliers must obtain accreditation through one of 10 CMS approved accreditation agencies.
Except for those suppliers that are bidding to supply DME in the first 10 competitive bid areas (deadline 10/31/07), CMS has NOT, as yet, determined when the remaining suppliers, including pharmacies must be accredited.
Authored by Harry Lattanzio, president of PRS Pharmacy Services, Accreditation Corner breaks up the quality standards into an easy-to-understand format and provides helpful tips on how to meet the standards.
Read the pieces and use this time to prepare your staff. Remember agency surveyors won’t just be looking for a manual, but for clear indicators that your business practices executed daily protect the beneficiary and limit fraud.
As you know by now, in order to maintain a Medicare Part B supplier billing number ALL suppliers must obtain accreditation through one of 10 CMS approved accreditation agencies.
Except for those suppliers that are bidding to supply DME in the first 10 competitive bid areas (deadline 10/31/07), CMS has NOT, as yet, determined when the remaining suppliers, including pharmacies must be accredited.
Authored by Harry Lattanzio, president of PRS Pharmacy Services, Accreditation Corner breaks up the quality standards into an easy-to-understand format and provides helpful tips on how to meet the standards.
Read the pieces and use this time to prepare your staff. Remember agency surveyors won’t just be looking for a manual, but for clear indicators that your business practices executed daily protect the beneficiary and limit fraud.
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