Re: Palmetto GBA, LLC. Intially awarded by CMS contract to the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) /Cancelled after Protest

Tony Barr

Description

Title:

Re: Palmetto GBA, LLC. Intially awarded by CMS contract to the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) /Cancelled after Protest

Creator:

Tony Barr

Date:

10/20/2006

Text:

It has been reported recently in previous posts and publications from CMS
that intially it was announced on October 13, 2006 Palmetto GBA was awarded
the CMS contract .

Could it be that the previous and below post got someone's attention at CMS
!

However, CIGNA filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office
(GAO), which sustained the protest and instructed CMS to solicit new bids.

see: <URL Redacted>

but less than 5 days later October 17 it appears and reported that Noridian
now apparently has secured what CIGNA Medicare had for Region D .

See : <URL Redacted>

CIGNA also tried to appeal the Noridian Award and apparently lost although
it looks like they will just shift to managing Region C.

I have wondered if CIGNA Government Services LLC is able to and involved in
with the CIGNA /Linkia network in working with Medicare.

Its been said that Hanger/Linkia upper management staff was recruited from
CIGNA about 16 months ago. They were apparently brought with them
connections into CIGNA.

Hanger announced this fellows name and his coming from CIGNA with great
enthusiasm.

Who's on first ,what is on second ..... and can, anyone, familiar with
govt,contracting procedures, provide further input that can be verified ?

Anthony T. Barr

  _____

From: Tony Barr [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>]
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 2:56 PM
To: <Email Address Redacted> UFL. EDU ( <Email Address Redacted> )
Subject: Palmetto GBA, LLC. awarded by CMS contract to the Durable Medical
Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS)


The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today award of
a contract to the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics,
 and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC),
Palmetto GBA, LLC. Palmetto is located in Columbia, South Carolina.
 
 < <URL Redacted>>
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcqforDMEPOS/05_CBIC_Contractor.asp
 
The first CBIC contract cycle will begin September 29, 2006.
 
The same contrator was highlighted in national news in the Miami Herald ,
Anatomy Of A Scandal and broke May 10,1995 in the Miami Herald.
 
In four months last year , 21,000 seniors in Miami -Dade suddenly needed
artificial legs or arms. Medicare paid the bill to Blue Cross Blue Shield
,BCBS paid Palmetto GBA and Palmetto GBA paid unlicensed providers $122
million w/o questioning..
 
The devices were never ordered nor recieved.
 
It seems the trade industry, AOPA, and representatives of their sister
organizations whom I was on a conference call with shortly after the
scandal broke in August 2005, didn't want to ruffle feathers of Blue Cross
and Blue Shield of CMS by taking a legal course of action.
 
Its up to all of us in Florida take a hold of this opportunity to expose
this and make a statement that unregulated providers are not legally able to
provide these services in Florida. CMS and Blue Cross Blue Shield is taking
part in the violation of the law by allowing payments to contractors and
subcontractor whom are not duly licensed.
 
A subsidiary of
< http://www.hoovers.com/blue-cross-%26-blue-shield-of-south-carolina/--ID__1
09455--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml> Blue Cross & Blue Shield of South Carolina,
Palmetto GBA oversees Medicare benefits for people in 16 US A , most of
which are in the Southeast and Midwest, as well as in Puerto Rico and the US
Virgin Islands. Palmetto GBA's services include the processing and payment
of health insurance claims, customer service support, and payment
safeguarding services that seek to eliminate Medicare abuse, fraud, and
waste. Palmetto GBA is one of the largest Medicare contractors in the United
States -- processing more than 125 million Medicare recipient claims
annually.
 
http://www.hoovers.com/free/co/factsheet.xhtml?COID=123038
< http://www.hoovers.com/free/co/factsheet.xhtml?COID=123038&cm_ven=PAID&cm_c
at=OVR&cm_pla=CO4&cm_ite=palmetto_gba>
&cm_ven=PAID&cm_cat=OVR&cm_pla=CO4&cm_ite=palmetto_gba
 
I wonder how many private insurance companies are aware that they also have
been defrauded by these DME's.

Excuse me ... is something wrong with this picture ?

 

                          

Citation

Tony Barr, “Re: Palmetto GBA, LLC. Intially awarded by CMS contract to the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) /Cancelled after Protest,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 24, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/227500.