Tag: Medicare

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

Medicare Competitive Bidding AnnouncemeNT

Posted on by DME INFO

All Medicare Round 2021 Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, & Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) Contracts for Off-the-Shelf (OTS) back braces and OTS knee braces expire on December 31, 2023. Starting January 1, 2024, there will be a temporary gap in the DMEPOS CBP.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plans to conduct bidding for the next round of the DMEPOS CBP after going through notice and comment rulemaking to further strengthen the DMEPOS CBP.

For additional information on the gap period, please see the Temporary Gap Period (PDF) fact sheet and continue to monitor the CMS.gov and Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) websites for updates.

Please click this link for more information:

CMS Competitive Bidding

durable medical equipment, prosthetics,orthotics and supplies (dmepos) order requirements

Posted on by DME INFO

On January 17, 2023, a second Federal Register Notice was published that announced 10 additional orthoses that will require a face-to-face encounter and written order prior to delivery as a condition of payment. Therefore, effective April 17, 2023, a total of 63 items are now on the face-to-face encounter and written order prior to delivery List.

Standardized DMEPOS Written Order/Prescription

Any Medicare provider or supplier that writes DMEPOS orders or prescriptions will now use a standard set of elements that will be applicable to all DMEPOS items.

  • Beneficiary name or Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) Number
  • Description of the item
  • Quantity, if applicable
  • Treating practitioner name or National Provider Identifier (NPI)
  • Date of the order
  • Treating practitioner signature

The treating practitioner must submit the complete written order to the supplier prior to submitting a claim for Medicare payment.

For more information please click here.