Changes to DME Products

The CMS eases quality standards for small DME suppliers. Originally released earlier this year, the new standards were difficult to understand and even more difficult to comply to. Numerous complaints and comments were made regarding the changes and the CMS responded by releasing a “greatly simplified” version of quality standards for suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS).

Some of the items that were rewritten to be easier to comply with include:

* Bringing the standards to meet from 104 pages to 14;

* Focusing the standards more specifically on the issues affecting quality service for Medicare beneficiaries;

* Clarifying the requirements for performance management to allow suppliers to determine indicators related to their line of products and services; and

* Reducing the product-specific standards from 15 to three.

CMS will still require accreditation for all DMEPOS suppliers but the new process could soon force smaller suppliers to stop providing those services if they had to continue to meet the expanded standards. The new requirements will level the playing field for all suppliers.

View all Articles by: Melissa Clark, CCS-P