The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on January 25 issued a proposed rule to enhance the enrollment standards for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) suppliers. The proposed rule is intended to increase protections for Medicare and its beneficiaries from potentially dishonest or low quality suppliers.

By creating five new standards and strengthening seven of the 21 existing standards that suppliers must meet, the proposed rule would provide Medicare beneficiaries with additional assurance that they are being served by suppliers who meet the highest standards of quality.

"The proposals represent the next step in Medicare's ongoing efforts to ensure its beneficiaries continue to have access to high quality products and services at appropriate prices, while protecting them and the program from unscrupulous suppliers," said CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems. "In addition to meeting the enrollment standards, all DMEPOS suppliers are required to obtain accreditation from one of ten accrediting organizations announced in November 2006."
Proposed requirements and deadlines for obtaining accreditation are as follows:
-Suppliers in the DMEPOS competitive bidding areas must be accredited before CMS can contract with them as winning bidders.
-New suppliers, who apply to the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) for a supplier number before March 1, 2008, must be accredited by December 31, 2008. The NSC is the organization that issues DMEPOS billing numbers and maintains information about all suppliers enrolled in Medicare.
-New suppliers who apply for a supplier number on or after March 1, 2008, must be accredited before they can get a supplier number.
-All other suppliers must be accredited by September 30, 2009.

The proposed additions and revisions to the DMEPOS supplier enrollment standards are expected to help ensure that only legitimate DMEPOS suppliers participate in Medicare.

The enrollment standards would affect all suppliers for these items, not just those who participating in the durable medical equipment bidding program. The standards also will apply to suppliers of all types of DMEPOS prescribed by the beneficiary's physician, from simple canes and walkers to complex power wheelchairs, oxygen supplies and equipment, and hospital beds.

One of the new standards would require DMEPOS suppliers, except suppliers of prosthetics and orthotics, to be open to the public for at least 30 hours a week. In addition, the proposed new standards would:

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