Accreditation Deadline
Jim Andreassen
Description
Collection
Title:
Accreditation Deadline
Creator:
Jim Andreassen
Date:
12/20/2007
Text:
Important Medicare Update:
CMS Announces Accreditation Deadline
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) held a special open
door forum today, which announced new deadlines by which all durable
medical equipment (DME) and orthotic & prosthetic (O&P) providers need
to be accredited. New accreditation dates will be applicable to
virtually all HME/DME companies, orthotic & prosthetic practices and
other Medicare suppliers; collectively DMEPOS. For further details on
the open door forum call, go to the following link:
<URL Redacted>
Note: CMS had previously announced that all DMEPOS companies intending
to service Medicare patients within the initial ten competitive bidding
areas required accreditation by October 31, 2007.
The accreditation deadline for all existing DMEPOS providers is
September 30, 2009.
A grace period for new DMEPOS providers entering the Medicare program
and an associated accreditation deadline will be announced via a
Medlearn Matters and other CMS transmittals shortly. OPGA will
distribute information once available
Related deadline: All Medicare DMEPOS claims must include the provider
NPI on or after March 1, 2008.
Background
Voluntary accreditation has been available to durable medical equipment
and orthotic and prosthetic suppliers for some time, but as of today
relatively few companies - probably less than 35%-have become
accredited. Section 302 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement
and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) made accreditation mandatory for
DMEPOS suppliers that serve Medicare beneficiaries. The MMA requires
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to establish and
implement quality standards for DMEPOS suppliers, and to designate
independent accreditation organizations to apply those standards.
Suppliers will be required to comply with the quality standards in order
to retain their supplier numbers and receive Medicare payment for DME
and O&P.
Mandatory accreditation has been introduced in stages along with the
Medicare competitive bidding program for DME. CMS set an October 31,
2007 deadline for accreditation of suppliers in the ten metropolitan
areas chosen for the first phase of competitive bidding.
With today's announcement, HME companies that were not in the initial
competitive bidding areas now have firm accreditation deadlines!
* The accreditation deadline for all existing DMEPOS
providers is September 30, 2009.
The accreditation process is likely to take an average of 6 to 12
months, and longer in some cases. The increased need for accreditation
will place a heavy demand on the accrediting organizations. In
anticipation of the increased demand, the accrediting bodies have added
additional surveyors and are working at maximum capacity. However, the
need for these services is likely to exceed the capabilities of the
organizations. HME and O&P companies that do not act now risk missing
the MMA deadlines and being unable to serve Medicare beneficiaries.
Important Accreditation Resources Available From OPGA
OPGA has developed a Policies and Procedures Manual that is specifically
designed for compliance with the imposition of quality standards and
accreditation requirements of the Medicare Prescription Drug,
Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA). OPGA offers a manual to
assist in the daily operation of your business. This manual is in a
format easy for you to customize to your own business. You receive a
binder to choose which policies you require and a CD, which you can edit
to fit your company's needs. Also included in the manual, to assist you
in making it through the ABC Facility Accreditation Process, you will
receive the current FAP standards.
Jim Andreassen
President, OPGA
Phone: 800-214-6742
Fax: 888-449-0610
email: <Email Address Redacted>
CMS Announces Accreditation Deadline
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) held a special open
door forum today, which announced new deadlines by which all durable
medical equipment (DME) and orthotic & prosthetic (O&P) providers need
to be accredited. New accreditation dates will be applicable to
virtually all HME/DME companies, orthotic & prosthetic practices and
other Medicare suppliers; collectively DMEPOS. For further details on
the open door forum call, go to the following link:
<URL Redacted>
Note: CMS had previously announced that all DMEPOS companies intending
to service Medicare patients within the initial ten competitive bidding
areas required accreditation by October 31, 2007.
The accreditation deadline for all existing DMEPOS providers is
September 30, 2009.
A grace period for new DMEPOS providers entering the Medicare program
and an associated accreditation deadline will be announced via a
Medlearn Matters and other CMS transmittals shortly. OPGA will
distribute information once available
Related deadline: All Medicare DMEPOS claims must include the provider
NPI on or after March 1, 2008.
Background
Voluntary accreditation has been available to durable medical equipment
and orthotic and prosthetic suppliers for some time, but as of today
relatively few companies - probably less than 35%-have become
accredited. Section 302 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement
and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) made accreditation mandatory for
DMEPOS suppliers that serve Medicare beneficiaries. The MMA requires
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to establish and
implement quality standards for DMEPOS suppliers, and to designate
independent accreditation organizations to apply those standards.
Suppliers will be required to comply with the quality standards in order
to retain their supplier numbers and receive Medicare payment for DME
and O&P.
Mandatory accreditation has been introduced in stages along with the
Medicare competitive bidding program for DME. CMS set an October 31,
2007 deadline for accreditation of suppliers in the ten metropolitan
areas chosen for the first phase of competitive bidding.
With today's announcement, HME companies that were not in the initial
competitive bidding areas now have firm accreditation deadlines!
* The accreditation deadline for all existing DMEPOS
providers is September 30, 2009.
The accreditation process is likely to take an average of 6 to 12
months, and longer in some cases. The increased need for accreditation
will place a heavy demand on the accrediting organizations. In
anticipation of the increased demand, the accrediting bodies have added
additional surveyors and are working at maximum capacity. However, the
need for these services is likely to exceed the capabilities of the
organizations. HME and O&P companies that do not act now risk missing
the MMA deadlines and being unable to serve Medicare beneficiaries.
Important Accreditation Resources Available From OPGA
OPGA has developed a Policies and Procedures Manual that is specifically
designed for compliance with the imposition of quality standards and
accreditation requirements of the Medicare Prescription Drug,
Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA). OPGA offers a manual to
assist in the daily operation of your business. This manual is in a
format easy for you to customize to your own business. You receive a
binder to choose which policies you require and a CD, which you can edit
to fit your company's needs. Also included in the manual, to assist you
in making it through the ABC Facility Accreditation Process, you will
receive the current FAP standards.
Jim Andreassen
President, OPGA
Phone: 800-214-6742
Fax: 888-449-0610
email: <Email Address Redacted>
Citation
Jim Andreassen, “Accreditation Deadline,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 1, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/228786.
