Consignment

Consignment

Joyce Perrone

8/23/2009

I am currently waiting for more information, however, I understand that this was done as a Change Request to policy. Usually, by govt administrative policy, it should have been put out in the federal register for public opinion for a change like this to take place. I understand many large groups that supply stock and bill are very outraged by this event and plan on complaining about it. I have not seen a post from AOPA as to their stand or desire to take a stand. Probably because not so many o&p groups have stock and bills. The ones that do, will suffer as a result. These programs have been controversial in the o&p industry over the years as 'locking out' the o&p provider when a manufacturer has the closet. Now, even they will be locked out and either the patient will have to have an RX to go to an o/p OR DME (let's not forget about that) OR the physician office will be able to provide and bill medicare for the item. BONES - the orthopedic national group, has been sending this information out to all their members and billing for product themselves has been a hot topic for several years. This will fuel the fire for more ortho groups (and let's not forget podiatrists, too) to bill these items themselves.

Joyce J. Perrone
 De La Torre O&P, Inc - 2009 Pennsylvania Business of the Year Winner!
 PROMISE Consulting, Inc
300 Alpha Drive, Pgh PA 15238
ph: 412-599-1112 cell: 412-849-7750 fx: 412-599-1130

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There is 1 message totalling 50 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. Medicare/Consignment Closets

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Date: Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:30:51 -0700
From: Jeff Zeller < <Email Address Redacted> >
Subject: Medicare/Consignment Closets

Good evening list members,

 

Has anyone heard if there is any new updated information from CMS on
consignment closets not being allowed in Physicians offices? My
understanding is that if an O and P office has been providing a Physician
the convenience of having a walking boot in their office to put directly
onto a fractured lower limb after a cast is removed from a Medicare patient.
That patient with a somewhat unstable fracture now has to come directly to
our office without a cast on, with a cast bi-valved and ace wrapped, or I
get to cut off the cast in my office, which is a non-billable event.

 

What are your thoughts on this, which is supposed to take place September 8,
2009?

 

Jeff A. Zeller, CP