CMS has set a number of confusing deadlines for mandatory CMS accreditation. As of January 31st, 2009, all of those deadlines are effectively past ... but does that mean you cannot obtain CMS Accreditation and eventually obtain Medicare billing rights?

No.

New DME companies, or even existing ones that have not pursued CMS accreditation to date, can still obtain accreditation, and will still be eligible for Medicare billing in the future. It does mean, however, that your company will have any existing Medicare billing priveleges revoked in the short term (effective October 1, 2009).

Companies pursuing CMS Accreditation and a reinstatement of their Medicare billing priveleges -- or new DME companies just entering the industry -- may still pursue CMS accreditation and file for future billing priveleges. In fact, CMS accreditation is now a mandatory first step in obtaining or maintaining a Medicare "NPI" number. This is not likely to change -- ever -- regardless of any changes in Medicare's proposed "competitive bidding process" or other rules.

In short, if you are a DME company, you will eventually need CMS accreditation.

To see how your company may either enter the DME industry despite the CMS deadlines, or to learn more about how your company can have its Medicare billing priveleges reinstated after a revocation, contact Oxebridge today.