On August 11, 2015, CMS released additional information regarding the Round 1 2017 Competitive Bidding Program.
Round 1 2017 will include eight product categories including: enteral nutrients; general home equipment and related supplies and accessories; nebulizers and related supplies; negative pressure wound therapy pumps and supplies; respiratory equipment including oxygen, CPAP, respiratory assist devices and supplies; standard mobility equipment and supplies; and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators and supplies. Bids will be accepted from prospective suppliers in 13 CBAs in 11 different states. Unlike the Round 1 recompetition, which Round 1 2017 replaces, there are no multi-state CBAs.
Registration for Round 1 2017 will begin August 25th with the bid window opening October 15th. Prospective bidders will have two months to submit bids and related documentation before bidding ends December 16th. Throughout the winter CMS will review bid submissions with a target release date of single payment amounts and a start of the contracting process in the Summer of 2016. CMS in targeting January 1, 2017 as the start date for Round 1 2017.
CMS’s bidder education program has also begun. The Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor will be in charge of providing educational materials and telephone support for prospective bidders. The bidder education program is intended to ensure that prospective bidders have access to support and information needed to submit complete and accurate bids.
The timeline for Round 1 2017 is consistent with past timelines so providers with experience in past bidding competitions should be familiar with the process. Despite widespread criticism of the process used by CMS during past rounds of competitive bidding, CMS has not announced any substantive changes to the bidding or the bid evaluation process, and the consistent timeline would imply that CMS does not expect the process to take substantially longer than it did in previous rounds.
Information regarding Round 1 2017, including the full timeline as well as bidder information is available on the Round 1 2017 website.