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VGM Government Relations Along with Leitten Consulting Release the Latest Update to Competitive Bidding Study

Published in VGM Government Relations on July 15, 2022

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VGM Government, in conjunction with Brian Leitten and Leitten Consulting, has released an updated study analyzing the efforts by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to control distribution of Durable Medical Equipment (DME). The study, “Competitive Bidding – Pressure Sore, Urological and Diabetes Equipment & Supplies. The Expanded Case for Medicare Investment in DME in 2022,” builds off the 2021 study by expanding the range of DME and adding three additional categories: equipment and supplies to prevent pressure sores, catheters and related urological supplies to resolve urine and retention and incontinence, and diabetic test strips and meter to monitor blood glucose levels.  

“As CMS forced prices down and treatment costs continued to rise, the power of a dollar spent on preventive DME became ever more powerful,” stated Brian Leitten, head of Leitten Consulting. “CMS continues to spend its budget dollars on treating the very illnesses and injuries that could be avoided if they would just invest in providing the right DME to beneficiaries before they need it.”

The previous studies were focused around three areas of DME, mobility equipment (e.g., wheelchairs, walkers, and power chairs) to avoid falls; oxygen therapy equipment to counter symptoms of COPD; and continuous positive airway pressure equipment to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In the most recent study, DME was expanded to include three new categories of Medicare Spending that are significant to Medicare beneficiaries. Adding the three new categories significantly increases the cost and potential amount that could be saved if CMS were to invest in DME. 

“With the success of the previous studies, that had shown how much could be saved if CMS invested in three main DME categories, we wanted to expand with this most recent study to encompass three additional categories and how they could be affected,” says John Gallagher, vice president, VGM Government Relations. “In turn, we hope that these studies can then be used to help educate key legislators on why it is so important, and cost efficient, to invest now into DME.” 

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