[Acemed]

I have just received a response from the CBIC which is contrary to the understanding everyone got prior to and during the bidding process. then, the understanding was that the a non-contract supplier in a CBA could reach outside the CBA to service a beneficiary who resides outside the CBA.
Today, the CBIC says if you are a non-contract supplier in a CBA, you could not supply a competitive bid item to a beneficiary who resides outside the CBA. To do so, the beneficiary would have to sign a ABN in advance to pay cash for the item and the non-contract supplier can not make any claim to medicare for the item.

To me this is a new understanding and that would effectively eliminate all non-contract suppliers in all of the CBAs in the Round 1 rebid.

[crice]

I would bet that if you called the CBIC back again you would get a different answer. Nonetheless, that's the second time I've heard that same comment in the last couple of days.

I really don't see how it is possible - I don't see how the rules of the program (or the law) would allow the CBIC to control what happens to Medicare recipients that are outside of the bidding area.

It's a crazy world we're in...

Best,
Chris Rice
www.getdme.com

[HEATHER]

"I keep hearing snippets of completely wrong information that's being given out," said Cara Bachenheimer, senior vice president of government relations for Invacare. "Beneficiaries who don't live in a CBA--they're not in it; that's the rule. But then you have the CBIC saying if their suppliers are in the CBA, then only contract suppliers can serve them. That's flat out wrong, and I've heard that twice."

From: Legislative update: 'We're not seeing much opportunity' - HME News

[Acemed]

Yea, I heard it in words and I have it in print too. It is ridiculous and that is what is wrong with an agency of government having too much power.

NSC/Palmetto/Medicare after rigorous site inspection gave us PTAN numbers to be able to service medicare beneficiaries and make claims. Then they said oh, to be able to do it you must be accredited. They selected the agencies and we all got accredited. Then they said that is not enough, you must be bonded and we all got bonded even while they were reducing fees for the services rendered. Finally they said, after all that, you must now have a contract. Wao, what did we do the others for?