Posted by Helen-CO on 5/19/2008, 8:03 pm
24.8.179.226
I have heard rumblings on other forums that those of us on oxygen will be assigned our future DME providers based on the companies with the lowest bid. I went to MyMedicare.gov and found this, but couldn't get the URL to work (maybe JohnO or Gary can). My concern is should we be worried? I'm very happy with my current provider. Here you go:
"Where You Get Your Durable Medical Equipment and Supplies May be Changing.
Medicare covers durable medical equipment, like oxygen, wheelchairs, blood glucose monitors, walkers, and hospital beds needed for use in your home. Medicare also covers supplies necessary for use with this equipment such as test strips used with blood glucose monitors. Medicare is working with suppliers to help you potentially save money on your medically-necessary equipment and supplies. You may have heard that you will have to use certain suppliers in your area to get certain types of Medicare-covered equipment or supplies. Starting in July 2008, this will be true in certain areas of the country.
Round 1
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced the contract suppliers for the first round of the Medicare durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) competitive bidding program. The competitive bidding program will offer beneficiaries in the designated competitive bidding areas (CBAs) access to quality DMEPOS products and services with lower out-of-pocket costs.
To help consumers find a list of Medicare contract suppliers in the 10 initial areas of the program, click on the appropriate CBA.
Competitive Bidding Areas
The new program will take effect for people with Medicare starting July 2008 in the following 10 areas:
Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC (Size: 176 KB)
Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN (Size: 146 KB)
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH (Size: 153 KB)
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (Size: 338 KB)
Kansas City, MO-KS (Size: 170 KB)
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL (Size: 367 KB)
Orlando, FL (Size: 269 KB)
Pittsburgh, PA (Size: 185 KB)
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (Size: 181 KB)
San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo, PR (Size: 61 KB)
The program will be expanded into 70 additional areas in 2009 and into additional areas after 2009.
A listing of the zip codes included in each area is available at www.dmecompetitivebid.com.
Product Categories
At the outset, the competitive bidding program will include 10 of the top DMEPOS product categories including:
Oxygen Supplies and Equipment
Standard Power Wheelchairs, Scooters, and Related Accessories
Complex Rehabilitative Power Wheelchairs and Related Accessories
Mail-Order Diabetic Supplies
Enteral Nutrients, Equipment, and Supplies
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Devices, Respiratory Assist Devices (RADs), and Related Supplies and Accessories
Hospital Beds and Related Accessories
Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) Pumps and Related Supplies and Accessories
Walkers and Related Accessories
(Miami Only) - Support Surfaces (group 2 mattresses and overlays)
A listing of the items contained in each product category is available at www.dmecompetitivebid.com.
Publication for People with Medicare - What You Should Know if You Need Medicare-covered Equipment or Supplies
Vea en Español - Lo Qué Usted Debe Saber si Necesita Suministros o Equipo Cubierto por Medicare
Round 2
Competitive Bidding Areas
The new program will take effect for people with Medicare in the following 70 areas in 2009:
West Midwest South Northeast
Albuquerque, NM Akron, OH Asheville, NC Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
Bakersfield, CA Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
Colorado Springs, CO Columbus, OH Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT
Denver-Aurora, CO Dayton, OH Austin-Round Rock, TX New Haven-Milford, CT
Fresno, CA Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI Baton Rouge, LA New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV Flint, MI Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI Birmingham-Hoover, AL Syracuse, NY
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
Salt Lake City, UT Indianapolis-Carmel, IN Charleston-North Charleston, SC
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI Chattanooga, TN-GA
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Columbia, SC
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
Visalia-Porterville, CA Toledo, OH El Paso, TX
Wichita, KS Greensboro-High Point, NC
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX
Jackson, MS
Jacksonville, FL
Knoxville, TN
Lakeland, FL
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA
Ocala, FL
Oklahoma City, OK
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
Raleigh-Cary, NC
Richmond, VA
San Antonio, TX
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Tulsa, OK
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
Product Categories
For these 70 additional areas, the competitive bidding program will include 8 of the top DMEPOS product categories including:
Oxygen Supplies and Equipment
Standard Power Wheelchairs, Scooters, and Related Accessories
Complex Rehabilitative Power Wheelchairs and Related Accessories
Enteral Nutrients, Equipment, and Supplies
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Devices, Respiratory Assist Devices (RADs), and Related Supplies and Accessories
Hospital Beds and Related Accessories
Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) Pumps and Related Supplies and Accessories
Walkers and Related Accessories
Publication for People with Medicare - Do You Need Medicare-covered Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, or Supplies?
Information for people who have a Medicare-approved drug discount card
Vea en Español - ¿Necesita usted equipo médico duradero, prostéticos, suministros ortopédicos o dispositivos que estén cubiertos por Medicare?
Page Last Updated: May 19, 2008"
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