The Competitive Bidding Program started in my area and was then stopped. Why is it starting again?

September 20, 2009 by admin

The program was in place briefly in 2008 for 10 metropolitan areas. The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA), enacted on July 15, 2008, delayed and made limited changes to the program. You can continue to get your Medicare-covered equipment and supplies from any Medicare-approved supplier until prices go into effect in 9 metropolitan areas in 2011. Starting in 2011 in selected areas, you will need to use Medicare-contract suppliers in most situations to buy or rent competitively-bid DMEPOS equipment or supplies for Medicare to pay. You will need to use these contract suppliers if you live in (or get the items while visiting) certain ZIP codes in these areas:

• California-Riverside, San Bernardino, Ontario
• Florida-Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach
• Florida-Orlando
• Missouri and Kansas-Kansas City
• North and South Carolina-Charlotte, Gastonia, Concord
• Ohio-Cleveland, Elyria, Mentor
• Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana-Cincinnati, Middletown
• Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh
• Texas-Dallas-Fort Worth, Arlington

Note: San Juan, Puerto Rico, which was included in the 2008 program, won't be included when the program restarts in 2011.