Consignment Closet
08/14/2009 12:25 PM by George Ireton
BREAKING NEWS!
As published by AOPA
CMS has just announced that effective September 8, 2009, there will be new supplier standards for anyone participating in a consignment closet arrangement. As of that date, in order for a facility to be able to place devices in a physician or non-physician practitioner's office, it must comply with the following rules:
1. Title to the device must be transferred to the physician/non-physician practitioner at the time that the device is furnished to the patient.
2. The physician/non-physician practitioner must be the entity to bill Medicare, using his/her own supplier number.
3. All services provided to the patient concerning fitting or use of the device must be performed by person being paid by the physician/non-physician practitioner and not by the O&P facility.
4. The patient must be told that if he/she has a problem or question regarding the device, they should contact the physician/non-physician practitioner and not the O&P facility who placed the device in the physician/non-physician practitioner's office.
Additionally, the National Supplier Clearinghouse will be verifying that two or more DMEPOS suppliers are not enrolled/located at the same practice location.