BALTIMORE, MD (Home Care Wire) Durable medical equipment suppliers are fighting tooth and nail to halt round one of competitive bidding slated for July 1, but there seems to be no stopping the bidding steamroller.

In addition to two earlier MLN Matters articles on bidding, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has now issued a third article addressing exceptions and “special circumstances.”

“This article will be of particular interest to physicians and other treating practitioners who are enrolled DMEPOS suppliers; physicians and others who order or refer DMEPOS items or services for their patients; skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities; and physical therapists and occupational therapists in private practice who are Medicare enrolled DMEPOS suppliers,” CMS says about the article at www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0807.pdf.

The first two articles contain a bidding overview and address round one particulars on grandfathering, repair and replacement and other specifics.

CMS has started informing DMEPOS referral sources about the coming round of bidding as well. “If you order, refer or supply certain medical equipment and supplies, such as oxygen or power wheelchairs, you should know about a new Medicare program that may change the suppliers your patients will need to use,” the notice to physicians, providers and suppliers says.

“If your patient lives in or travels to one of the 10 designated areas and you order, refer or supply any medical equipment or supplies that fall within the 10 product categories, please discuss the new program requirements with your patient, and provide them with the Medicare fact sheet entitled ‘What You Should Know if You Need Medicare-covered Equipment or Supplies,’” CMS instructs.

Mark your calendar: CMS will offer a bidding training call for suppliers on May 13, although it hasn’t released dial-in information yet.