She and representatives from Roberts' office met with CMS officials on May 25, specifically about incorrect information being dispensed through the bidding helpline. Schafhauser said she pointed out that "the people who are on the front lines don't have the knowledge [CMS policymakers do] ... What if providers are taking what these people are saying verbatim? One person was told that it was just HME revenue that counted."

While the bidding process is a problem in some quarters, it doesn't appear to be so across the board.

Liz Moran of the Medical Equipment Suppliers Association said she hadn't heard too many complaints. "There have been people who have had hiccups, but any new system is going to have that," she said. "No one has called me and said they can't place a bid."

Raul Lopez, director of operations for Bayshore Dura Medical and president of the Florida Association of Medical Equipment Services, also said he was not aware of any difficulties but that "the majority of the [providers] will generally wait until the last of the bidding process."

Lopez said he had not yet submitted a bid for his company, which is located in the Miami bidding area.

While Lieber thinks it is possible that the process will so frustrate providers that some might simply pull out of the bidding, the greater fear for her and Schafhauser is that providers will wait until the last minute to begin bid submission.

"You're going to have mass mayhem, and what computer system is going to be able to handle that?" asked Schafhauser, noting that "now it is just normal times and [people] can't get through."

Lieber urged providers not to wait until the end of the bid window. "There's time left, but it's kind of scary. You need to get going now ... People who don't have their ID numbers, God help them."