Quality Standards, Accreditation, and Licensing

In order to participate in the Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program, suppliers must meet quality standards, be accredited by a CMS-approved Accreditation Organization and meet licensing requirements.

• Get Accredited:  Suppliers must be accredited for all items in a product category in order to submit a bid for that product category. If you are interested in bidding for a product category and are not currently accredited for that product category, take action NOW to get accredited for that product category. Your accreditation organization will need to report any accreditation updates to the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC). CMS cannot contract with suppliers that are not accredited by a CMS-approved accreditation organization.

• Further information on the DMEPOS accreditation requirements along with a list of the accreditation organizations and those professionals and other persons exempted from accreditation may be found by clicking on DME Accreditation.

• Get Licensed: Contracts are only awarded to suppliers that have all required state licenses at the time of bidding. Therefore, if you are bidding for a product category in a CBA, you must ensure that all required state licenses for that product category are either on file with the NSC or RECEIVED by the NSC by the close of bidding. Every location must be licensed in each state in which it provides services. If you have only one location and are bidding in a CBA that includes more than one state, you must have all required licenses for every state in that CBA. If you have more than one location and are bidding in a CBA that includes more than one state, your company must have all required licenses for the product category for every state in that CBA.  Make sure that current versions of all required licenses are with the NSC BEFORE you bid. If any required licenses are expired or missing from your enrollment file, we can reject your bid.

• Updating Enrollment Information:  DMEPOS suppliers can update their enrollment via the internet-based Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) or by using the 7/11/2011 version of the CMS-855S enrollment form. Suppliers not currently using PECOS can learn more about this system by accessing the PECOS website or reviewing the PECOS fact sheet. Information and instructions on how to submit a change of information via the hardcopy CMS-855S enrollment form may be found on the NSC Web site and by following this path: Supplier Enrollment/Change of Information/Change of Information Guide.