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Home > What's New > SNHPA Asks CMS to Rework Medicare Part B to Allow Hospitals to Provide Outpatient Medical Equipment |
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SNHPA Asks CMS to Rework Medicare Part B to Allow Hospitals to Provide Outpatient Medical Equipment
March 2009
CMS sought comments on changes to CMS rules governing the Medicare Part B durable medical equipment (DME) competitive bidding program. Under that program, CMS chooses who may provide Medicare patients with medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies based on competitive bids submitted by suppliers. The changes on which CMS sought comments included a Congressionally-mandated exemption for DME provided by a hospital to a patient during an inpatient stay or at discharge. The agency did not exempt DME or orthotics provided to former inpatients in hospital outpatient settings. SNHPA said in its comments that a failure to extend the exemption to hospital outpatient settings could negatively impact continuity of care. We urged CMS to allow safety net hospitals to provide DME in those settings to former inpatients. SNHPA suggested that Medicare program savings could be maintained by paying the hospitals at the prices set under competitive bidding.
View SNHPA's Comments
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Washington, DC 20005 
