DME: Physicians won't have to bid to provide crutches, canes

Why This Topic Matters

It helps physicians, orthopedic practices, and medical coders understand how Medicare’s DME competitive bidding changes may affect supplier status, payment, and compliance planning. The piece is relevant for practices that furnish DME and need to track Medicare implementation timing and accreditation requirements.

Article Sections

1. Competitive bidding rollout and exempt items

   Overview of Medicare’s new durable medical equipment competitive bidding program, including the initial categories addressed and the planned geographic phase-in. Also covers items described as not immediately subject to bidding and the general payment implications of the rule.

2. Accreditation requirement and implementation timing

   Discussion of accreditation expectations for suppliers, the timing of implementation in initial metropolitan areas, and the broader Medicare schedule for expansion to additional regions.

3. Why you should care

   General explanation of how the policy change may affect physician practices that furnish DME, including billing and operational considerations.

4. Most costly items to be bid first

   Summary of the criteria CMS used to identify initial DME categories for bidding and the types of items expected to be included early in the program.

5. Heads up: You may have to bid to provide braces, boots and other orthotics

   Discussion of later expansion concerns involving orthotics and how the article relates the rule to broader Medicare and Stark law context.

6. Durable medical equipment billed most frequently by orthopedists

   A utilization-oriented table of DME items commonly billed by orthopedists, together with supporting Medicare data and bidding-exemption status.