Attendee at the PAOC meeting, happening today in Baltimore, MD

This morning at the PAOC meeting in Baltimore, CMS released a tentatitive timeline which announced that Competitive Bidding would not be implemented until January 2011. This is a surprise and relief for the industry which anticipated a rush to apply the first round MSA's by the Spring/Summer of 2010

The language released at the PAOC reads:

Tentative Timeline - DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Timeline

Round 1 ReBid Tentative Timeline:

Spring 2009

• Pre-Bidding Supplier Awareness Campaign Began
• Today's PAOC Meeting

Summer 2009

• Announcement of Bidding Schedule/Schedule of Education Events
• Bidder Education Campaign Begins
• Bidder Registration Period to Obtain User IDs and Passwords Begins

Fall 2009

• Bidding Begins
• CDRD Process Begins

Winter 2009/Spring 2010

• Bid Evaluation
• Announcement of Single Payment Amounts
• Contract Process Beings

Summer 2010

• Contract Suppliers Announced
• Contract Suppliers Education Campaign Begins

Fall 2010

• Beneficiary, Referral Agent and General Supplier Education Campaign

January 2011

• Program Implementation

The specifics have yet to be explained, but this does stall implementation until after President Obama and Congress are scheduled to take up plans for health care reform, which will affect all aspects of health care.

This delay gives AMEPA and others in the industry the time needed to continue our successful efforts to educate elected officials as to the negative aspects of competitive bidding and to hopefully introduce legislation to repeal the program.

ALTHOUGH THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN DELAYED SLIGHTLY FROM WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED - THIS IS NO TIME TO REST. WE MUST FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON REPEAL DURING THIS SHORT RESPITE AND ENGAGE THE OBAMA ADMINSTRATION PRIOR TO CREATION OF THEIR NEW HEALTH CARE BILL.

As further updates come from the PAOC meeting they will be forwarded immediately.