CMS Releases DMEPOS Enrollment Standards
Final rule adds many new standards, modifications to existing standards.
CMS has issued a final rule on Medicare enrollment standards for DMEPOS providers, according to the American Association for Homecare. The final rule is based on the proposed rule released in January 2008, which AAHomecare provided comments on.
The final rule adds several new standards and modifies existing standards that providers must meet before being able to furnish home medical equipment to Medicare beneficiaries.
The American Association for Homecare says it is reviewing the rule and will soon provide a summary to members, as well as we share its concerns about the final rule to CMS staff. The rule — along with AAHomecare’s March 25, 2008 comments on the proposed rule — can be found in the What’s New section of the www.aahomecare.org website.
According to a statement released by CMS today, the final rule will:
- Require HME providers to obtain oxygen from a state-licensed oxygen supplier (which applies only in states that require oxygen licensure).
- Require HME providers to remain open to the public for at least 30 hours per week, with exceptions for physicians or licensed non-physician practitioners furnishing services to their own patients as part of their professional service, and HME providers working with custom made orthotics and prosthetics.
- Ensure that HME providers continue to maintain ordering and referring documentation from physicians or non-physician practitioners.
- Prohibit HME providers from sharing a practice location with certain other Medicare providers and suppliers subject to certain exceptions.
The final rule also clarifies and expands the existing enrollment requirements that DMEPOS providers must meet to establish and maintain billing privileges in the Medicare program. Specifically, this final rule would revise current standards as follows:
- Ensure that the DMEPOS supplier maintains a physical facility on an appropriate site that must:
- measure at least 200 square feet, except for state-licensed orthotic and prosthetic personnel providing custom fabricated orthotics or prosthetics in private practice;
- be in a location that is accessible to the public, Medicare beneficiaries, CMS, the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) and its agents and not in a gated community or other area where access is restricted;
- be accessible and staffed during posted hours of operation;
- maintain a permanent visible sign in plain view and post hours of operation; and
- be in a location that contains space for storing business records, including the supplier’s delivery, maintenance, and beneficiary communication records.
- Prohibit the use of cell phones, beeper numbers and pagers as a primary business telephone number. In addition, answering machines and answering services may not be used exclusively as a supplier’s primary telephone number during posted business hours.
- Expand the prohibition on HME provider telephone solicitation of a Medicare beneficiary to also include in-person contacts, e-mails, instant messaging, and internet coercive advertising.
A copy of the final rule is posted on the Federal Register site.
The current supplier enrollment standards can be found on the NSC’s website.