HME News -  Breaking News
Friday, July 27, 2007
CMS extends deadlines for NCB, accreditation

BALTIMORE – CMS on Friday gave providers in the first 10 competitive bidding areas a 60-day extension to file their bidding documents and to become accredited. All bids now must be filed by 9 p.m. EST Sept. 25. Providers in the first 10 CBAs originally had to be accredited by Aug.31. They now have until Oct. 31.
 
CMS issued the following announcement Friday afternoon:

* On May 15, 2007, CMS issued a request for bids for the first round of the Medicare DMEPOS competitive bidding program.  The original due date was 9 p.m. prevailing Eastern Time on July 13, 2007.  All bids are now due by 9 p.m. prevailing Eastern Time on September 25, 2007.

* Suppliers interested in bidding must first register and receive a User ID and Password before they can access the Internet-based bid submission system. Registration opened on April 9, 2007.  The original registrationdeadline was June 30, 2007.  CMS has reopened registration.  The registration deadline is now August 27, 2007.

* Suppliers must be accredited or be pending accreditation to submit a bid and will need to be accredited to be awarded a contract. The accreditation deadline for the first round of competitive bidding was originally August 31, 2007. The accreditation deadline is now October 31, 2007.

* CMS is revising the contract periods.  The original contract period for mail order diabetic supplies was April 1, 2008 – December 31, 2009.  The contract period for all other first round product categories was April 1, 2008 – March 31, 2011.  The contract period for mail order diabetic supplies is now July 1, 2008 – March 31, 2010.  The contract period for all other first round product categories is now July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2011.

* CMS is providing a targeted period to address suppliers’ remaining questions on the competitive bidding program.  To help ensure that answers are available as soon as possible, please e-mail your questions to the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) no later than August 10, 2007.  The e-mail address is cbic.admin@palmettogba.com.

* There are revised customer service hours at the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC).  Effective immediately, the CBIC help desk will be available to assist you from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.  You may call the help desk at 877-577-5331.

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