Abstract

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Competitive Bidding Program: Assessment of Impact on Beneficiary Acquisition of Diabetes-Testing Supplies and Durable Medical Equipment Prosthetics Orthotics and Supplies–Associated Health Outcomes

This report reviews the impact of the CBP on the lives of Medicare beneficiaries. The primary questions are: Does the CBP disrupt beneficiary access to prescribed DMEPOS? If it does, what impact does the disruption have on beneficiary health outcomes?

This report presents clear evidence that the CMS’s monitoring of CBP safety is inadequate, making it difficult to determine from CMS’s safety monitoring whether the CBP is producing higher costs for the Medicare program by raising hospitalization rates, causing longer inpatient stays, and increasing mortality among millions of beneficiaries. This report also presents non CMS sponsored research that provides evidence that the CBP is disrupting access to prescribed DMEPOS and that the disruptions are contributing to poor health outcomes. The report recommends strengthening the CBP’s safety-monitoring protocols to protect beneficiaries.

The National Minority Quality Forum thanks Chris Parkin for his help in writing this report and the team at the Diabetes Translational Research Center (Indianapolis, IN) for their scientific review of the CMS’s CBP health-status monitoring.

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