Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies Competitive Bidding Program – Updates and Important Information

Posted on by DME INFO

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making some important changes in the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) so that we can protect the Medicare Trust Funds and lower copays for beneficiaries. For more details, refer to the Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System Final Rule (CMS-1828-F) displayed in the Federal Register on November 28, 2025.

Next Round Timeline

To ensure bidders are prepared for the next round, CMS has announced the following next steps for the program:

December 2025

CMS begins pre-bidding supplier awareness program 

Late Spring/Early Summer 2026

CMS announces specific dates for registration and bidding

CMS announces lead items for the DMEPOS CBP product categories and number of contracts to award for each product category

CMS begins bidder education program

Late Summer/Early Fall 2026

Bidder registration period to obtain user IDs and passwords begins. Bid window opens.

Late Summer/Early Fall 2027

Contracts awarded and single payment amounts announced

Beneficiary education begins

No Later Than January 1, 2028

Start of Next Round – Contracts and single payment amounts (SPAs) in effect

Six-month transition period begins for beneficiaries to switch to contract suppliers

For more information please visit   Competitive Bidding Updates

Trump Administration Proposes Significant Updates to Disclosure Requirements to Make Health Care Prices Clear, Accurate, and Actionable for Americans

Posted on by DME INFO

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in partnership with the Department of Labor and the Department of the Treasury (collectively, the Departments), today jointly proposed major updates to the historic health care price transparency rules established during President Trump’s first term.

“Americans have a right to know what health care costs before they pay for it,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “This proposal delivers real transparency by turning hidden pricing into clear, usable information—so families can make informed decisions and hold the system accountable. It fulfills President Trump’s commitment to put patients, not special interests, first.”   For More Information, PRICE TRANSPARENCY

Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies Competitive Bidding Program – Updates and Important Information

Posted on by DME INFO

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making some important changes in the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) so that we can protect the Medicare Trust Funds and lower copays for beneficiaries. For more details, refer to the Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System Final Rule (CMS-1828-F) displayed in the Federal Register on November 28, 2025.  CMS Competitive Bid Updates

DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program (CBP)

Posted on by DME INFO

The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) required

Medicare to replace the fee schedule payment methodology for selected DMEPOS items with a

competitive bidding program implemented in areas throughout the country. The DMEPOS CBP

helps Medicare establish sustainable prices, saves money for beneficiaries and taxpayers, and

limits fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicare program. In addition to the cost savings, there

are several beneficiary protections that help to guarantee access to competitively bid DMEPOS

including requiring contract suppliers to provide equal access to all DMEPOS items and

services included in the supplier contract to every beneficiary residing in the competitive bidding

area.  Please click this link and go to page 21 for more information. CMS Competitive Bidding

New HCPCS Updates

Posted on by DME INFO

October 2024 HCPCS Updates – New, Revised, and Discontinued HCPCS Codes and Modifiers

The following information is based on the October 2024 Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) file. There are updates that will be effective October 1, 2024. It’s important to remember that the appearance of a HCPCS code is not an indication of coverage by the DME MAC.

Please click here for the HCPCS codes that will be effective October 1, 2024.