On March 17, 2010, CMS hosted a Program Advisory and Oversight Committee (PAOC) meeting to discuss the durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) competitive bidding program, including the Round 1 Rebid and upcoming rounds. Topics covered at the meeting included: a bidding status update; review of the DBIdS system performance; an accreditation update; supplier and beneficiary educational plans; contract supplier oversight and monitoring; a tentative timeline for Round 2; and a discussion of the subdivision of the NYC, Los Angeles, and Chicago metropolitan statistical areas for bidding purposes. With regard to Round 2 , CMS officials noted that certain trade press articles purporting to summarize a recent Congressional briefing had errors in the CMS implementation timetable. This is CMS’s current draft timetable, which CMS notes is tentative at this point:

• Summer 2010: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
• Fall 2010: Final Rule; Announce Product Categories; Begin Pre-Bidding Supplier Awareness Program
• Winter 2010: Announcement of Bidding Schedule/Schedule of Education Events; Bidder Education Program Begins; Bidder Registration Period to Obtain User IDs and Passwords Begins
• Spring 2011: Registration Ends; Bidding Begins; Covered Document Review Process Begins (90 day process)
• Summer 2011: Bidding Ends
• Fall 2011: Covered Document Review Process Ends; Bid Evaluation Begins
• Spring 2012: Bid Evaluation Ends; Announcement of Single Payment Amounts; Contract Process Begins

We will continue to report on the DMEPOS competitive bidding program.