Member Q&A From Craig Douglas: Round 2021 of Competitive Bidding

Published in Member Communities on March 02, 2020

Q: "How is Round 2021 of Competitive Bidding going to impact my non-Medicare business, and what should I be doing now to prepare for those changes that are coming next year?"

A: Without question, Round 2021 of Competitive Bidding (CB) will be the single largest force that will shift and shape the reimbursement landscape for DMEPOS suppliers in the foreseeable future for almost any DMEPOS supplier in the United States. Whether you conduct your business in a Competitive Bidding Area (CBA), a non-CB area, or a rural area, this upcoming round of CB will impact you, for better or worse. For many providers, these changes will not only impact their Medicare business, but their business with third-party payers as well. Providers need to review and familiarize themselves with the contract language of their existing payer agreements and to see which contracts have reimbursement rates that are tied to the Medicare fee schedule, how they are tied to Medicare, etc., so they are better prepared for the changes that are coming in 2021. VGM has developed some tools that will help providers better prepare themselves for these upcoming changes. 

If you have any questions, reach out to Craig Douglas at (877) 218-2825 or [email protected], and be sure to stay tuned for information regarding upcoming tools and webinars about this topic!

From Our Experts

How Wound Care Can Help Grow Your DMEPOS Business thumbnail How Wound Care Can Help Grow Your DMEPOS Business June is a special month for the wound care community. Not only is the week of June 12– June 16, 2023, designated as Certified Wound Care Specialists Week, but the American Board of Wound Management (ABWM) Foundation designated the entire month of June as Wound Healing Awareness Month. How Wound Care Can Help Grow Your DMEPOS Business thumbnail How Wound Care Can Help Grow Your DMEPOS Business June is a special month for the wound care community. Not only is the week of June 12– June 16, 2023, designated as Certified Wound Care Specialists Week, but the American Board of Wound Management (ABWM) Foundation designated the entire month of June as Wound Healing Awareness Month. How Wound Care Can Help Grow Your DMEPOS Business thumbnail How Wound Care Can Help Grow Your DMEPOS Business June is a special month for the wound care community. Not only is the week of June 12– June 16, 2023, designated as Certified Wound Care Specialists Week, but the American Board of Wound Management (ABWM) Foundation designated the entire month of June as Wound Healing Awareness Month. Attending VGM Heartland Conference? Here's What You Need To Know thumbnail Attending VGM Heartland Conference? Here's What You Need To Know The 2023 Heartland Conference is quickly approaching, and VGM is excited to welcome all attendees to Waterloo, Iowa, for two days of unlimited networking opportunities and industry-leading education. Here's everything to know before beginning the journey to VGM's hometown. Attending VGM Heartland Conference? Here's What You Need To Know thumbnail Attending VGM Heartland Conference? Here's What You Need To Know The 2023 Heartland Conference is quickly approaching, and VGM is excited to welcome all attendees to Waterloo, Iowa, for two days of unlimited networking opportunities and industry-leading education. Here's everything to know before beginning the journey to VGM's hometown. Save Your Backs thumbnail Save Your Backs Did you know that there is a transfer mechanism in healthcare that requires a no-lifting, multi-functional device to assist caregivers in transferring their patients? It's true! One of our newer vendor partners, Human Care US, offers the Barton Convertible Chair, which enables caregivers to perform safe patient handling practices more efficiently and effectively. While I had heard about this type of transfer device many years ago, it wasn't until I watched the video below that I realized how eas Important Update on Seat Elevation Covered Under Medicare thumbnail Important Update on Seat Elevation Covered Under Medicare On May 16, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the National Coverage Determination (NCD) for the Seat Elevation System as a covered item. Protecting Your Business With Viable and Sustainable Payer Contracts thumbnail Protecting Your Business With Viable and Sustainable Payer Contracts Read how to protect your durable medical equipment, prosthetic, orthotic, and supplies (DMEPOS) business by ensuring that you have payer contracts that have long-term viability, as this is one of the most important factors in determining whether your company ultimately succeeds or fails.