NEW QUALITY STANDARDS FOR DMEPOS 'REDUCE BURDEN' ON SMALL SUPPLIERS, CMS SAYS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Aug. 15 published new quality standards for suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) with revisions it says will make the regulatory process easier for industry.
The document reflects "significant revisions" to the May 1 draft proposal on quality standards and the competitive bidding process "to reduce burden on small suppliers," the CMS said, adding that it received more than 5,600 comments on the proposal.
"We expect that many suppliers already comply with the quality standards and have incorporated these practices into their daily operations," the CMS said.
The standards cover business services and product-specific service standards, with appendices for the three primary device groups affected, including:
Respiratory equipment, supplies and services;
Manual wheelchairs and power mobility devices; and
Customized orthotics, prosthetics and somatic, ocular and facial devices, as well as therapeutic shoes and inserts.