Medicare announces winning suppliers selected for equipment competitive bidding

Healthcare Purchasing News,  July, 2008  

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the names of the 325 suppliers that have signed contracts with Medicare to provide certain medical equipment and supplies to beneficiaries in 10 communities across the U.S. at significantly lower prices than they are paying now.

The new competitive bidding program goes into effect on July 1, 2008, in 10 communities. This program uses the local, competitive marketplace to lower the costs for certain durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) for Medicare beneficiaries who use Medicare-contracted suppliers to obtain medical items and supplies. Because beneficiaries pay 20 percent coinsurance on the cost of DMEPOS, they will directly benefit from the savings.

Based on bids submitted by these suppliers, beneficiaries and Medicare will see prices, on average, 26 percent lower than Medicare currently pays for the same items. CMS offered contracts to 23 percent of suppliers that submitted bids. These suppliers were in the winning price range and met quality and financial standards and disclosure requirements.

Consumers, physicians and other providers can find a list of Medicare contract suppliers in the 10 initial areas of the program by visiting www.medicare.gov (under "Search Tools" select "Find Suppliers of Medical Equipment in Your Area) or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (TIT users should call 1-877-486-2048). Additional information on the DMEPOS competitive bidding program is available at www.cms.hhs.gov/DMEPOS CompetitiveBid

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