Part B Drug Prices - Hot Off the Press

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made available the Medicare Part B Drug and Biological Average Sales Price (ASP) Payment Amounts for October 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008 on the CMS website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/McrPartBDrugAvgSalesPrice/01a_2008aspfiles.asp#TopOfPage. The files are located in the "Downloads" section of this web page.

CMS: 2009 Part B Premium to Remain the Same

The standard Medicare Part B monthly premium will be $96.40 in 2009, the same as the Part B premium for 2008, according to CMS. This is the first year since 2000 that there was no increase in the standard premium over the prior year. What happens after the elction is anybody’s guess!

CMS: It May Take 9 Months to Obtain Facility Accreditation

The accreditation process may take up to nine months to complete for an enrolled DMEPOS supplier that submits a complete application to the Accreditation Organizations (AOs), and has no deficiencies to correct post onsite-survey. Therefore, all enrolled DMEPOS suppliers will need to submit a complete accreditation application to the accreditation organizations (AOs) by January 31, 2009. This is to ensure that the DMEPOS supplier will receive an accreditation decision (provided that they meet the all the accreditation requirements) by the accreditation deadline of September 30, 2009. If you are going to seek accreditation, the time to act is NOW!

CMS Says Apply for DMEPOS Accreditation by January 31, 2009...or Else

At a September 3 Special Open Door Forum to address DMEPOS supplier exemptions for some practitioners—and NO pharmacists are NOT exempt—CMS announced that they have been assured that accreditating organizations have the capacity to accredit all suppliers, including pharmacists, by the September 30, 2009, deadline, BUT only if they apply BEFORE January 31, 2009.

Many retail buying groups and wholesalers have negotiated agreements to lower accreditation costs for their members and customers. Give them a call to find out further information about those deals!

If you apply AFTER January 31, 2009 you will be gambling with your Medicare Part B billing number.

Are you feeling lucky?...If not, apply for DMEPOS accreditation today. The clock is ticking.