CMS Announces New Development Guidelines
As of October 6, 2008, DMEPOS suppliers will be required to respond to development requests made by the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) within 30 days. Previously, a supplier had 60 days to return requested information or documentation that was missing for the continued processing of the CMS-855S. This change in the development time frame is in accordance with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service publishing a final rule titled, "Appeals of CMS or CMS Contractor Determinations When a Provider or Supplier Fails to Meet the Requirements for Medicare Billing Privileges (CMS 6003-F)" in the Federal Register. This final rule directs Medicare contractors to reject an enrollment application when a provider or supplier fails to provide missing information or documentation within 30 days of a contractor’s request for additional information. All applications/ changes of information that are received at the NSC prior to October 6, 2008 are subject to the 60-day development time frame. If a supplier’s application is closed or the Medicare billing privileges are deactivated due to non-response of a development request, the supplier does not have appeal rights and must reapply to the NSC for Medicare billing privileges using the CMS-855S enrollment application.