Medicare suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS), unless exempt, must be accredited and secure a surety bond by October 1, 2009 and October 2, 2009, respectively.
What you need to do if you are in the process of being accredited or obtaining a surety bond
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) encourages all DMEPOS suppliers currently in the midst of the accreditation process to correct all outstanding deficiencies on your accreditation report so that a site visit or accreditation decision can be rendered by the October 1, 2009 deadline. CMS also encourages all DMEPOS suppliers, subject to the bonding requirements, to obtain a surety bond. While the DMEPOS Accrediting Organization will notify the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) that you are accredited, you will need to notify the NSC that you have obtained your surety bond. When submitting your DMEPOS surety bond to the NSC, you should submit sections 1, 2A1, 12, and either 15 (if you are the authorized official) or 16 (if you are the delegated official) of the Medicare enrollment application (CMS-855S). By submitting the required sections of the CMS-855S, you will help to ensure that NSC is able to correctly associate your DMEPOS surety bond to your enrollment record.
What you need to do if you are not going to be accredited or get a surety bond
If you have made the business decision not to obtain accreditation or a surety bond if required, you may want to voluntarily terminate your enrollment with the Medicare program as a DMEPOS supplier. If you decide to voluntarily terminate your enrollment and later decide to re-enroll in the Medicare program, you will only be able to bill for services furnished on or after the date the NSC issues a DMEPOS supplier number to you conveying billing privileges. In most cases, this will result in a period for which you, as a DMEPOS supplier, cannot bill for services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries.
You can voluntarily terminate your enrollment in the Medicare program by completing the sections associated with voluntary termination on page 4 of the CMS-855S. You can even notify the National Supplier Clearinghouse of a future date termination. After completing the applicable sections, the Authorized or Delegated Official should sign, date and mail the completed termination request to the NSC.
Suppliers who do not plan to remain enrolled in the Medicare program are strongly encouraged to notify their customers as soon as possible. This will give your customers an opportunity to find another DMEPOS supplier.
Additional Information
For additional information regarding DMEPOS accreditation or the provisions associated with a surety bond, go to www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the surety bond requirement can be found on the NSC’s FAQ page at www.palmettogba.com/nsc.