05/07/2019

CMS Announces Round 2021 Bid Window to Open July 16

CMS has announced the bidding timeline with specific dates for the registration and bid window for Round 2021 of the Competitive Bidding Program. Per CMS' email announcement: "the bid window was originally scheduled to open in June, but in an effort to provide bidders with additional time to prepare, CMS will now open the bid window on July 16, 2019."

Key dates in CMS' updated timeline include:

• 6/10/2019 -- Registration window opens for the DMEPOS Bidding System, DBidS, and Connexion, the program’s secure portal
• 7/16/2019 -- Bid window opens
• 8/16/2019 -- DBidS registration closes (Connexion registration always remains open)
• 8/19/2019 -- Covered document review date for bidders to upload financial documents in Connexion
• 9/18/2019 -- Bid window closes
• Fall 2019 -- Preliminary bid evaluation notification
• Summer 2020 -- CMS announces single payment amounts and begins contracting process
• Fall 2020 -- CMS announces contract suppliers
• 1/1/2021 -- Implementation of Round 2021 contracts and prices

With the exception of the January 2021 implementation date, CMS still notes that these are "target dates".

Bidding Instructions and Factsheets Released

The Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor has also released a 55-page bid instructions and requirements document on Round 2021 and 18 related new factsheets.

Educate Yourself and Get Ready to #BidSmart in Round 2021

Find comprehensive educational resources, as well as category-specific bidding calculators, to help you understand CMS' new bidding methodology at DMECBPEducation.com.

CB Round 2021 Overview Webinar -- May 20 -- 11:00 am - noon (Eastern time) -- sponsored by AAHomecare, CQRC, VGM and HNC -- register here.

Join your peers and get the latest from industry experts on Round 2021 the full day-long Bidding Summit in Nashville, TN - June 5 -- register here.