R -- Durable Medical Equipment (DME) - Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC)

The contract involves the implementation of Medicare Contracting Reform (MCR) as mandated by Section 911 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. CMS is required to modernize and standardize contracting under the Medicare program by replacing existing authorities with new Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) authorities. This reform introduces competitive bidding and performance incentives across Medicare contracting functions. Specifically, CMS will conduct a full and open competition to select Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors (DME-MACs) who will take over responsibilities from current fiscal intermediaries and carriers for administering Medicare fee-for-service claims related to durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies. The competition is expected to result in the award of four standalone contracts, each with a base year plus four option years. Apart from core claims processing and payment services, optional tasks such as national supplier enrollment, data analysis, coding, and Enterprise Data Center services may be included. The Request for Proposal was anticipated to be released in late March 2005. Key points of contact for inquiries are Cathy Baldwin and Linda Hook from CMS, who are available for further clarification or information sharing. All relevant updates and documents regarding the procurement process will be posted on the federal business opportunities platform.