ATLANTA--The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has quietly added another city to the list of potential sites for national competitive bidding.

At a mid-December meeting with accrediting organizations, agency officials handed out a list of 19 possible metro areas that could be selected for bidding this year. But in a recent notice sent to accreditors, CMS said it had mistakenly left off Orlando.

"From what I understand, they just forgot to put Orlando on the list," said Tom Cesar, president of the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, one of the accreditation organizations given deeming authority by CMS. "We're not really surprised because it has actually been talked about as one of the top 10 [metropolitan statistical areas]."

Orlando had been included on a previous list made public by the agency (see HomeCare Monday, Jan. 8). Its reinsertion brings to 20 the number of cities that could be one of 10 sites chosen for the inauguration of NCB.

The other cities are: Miami (which accreditors said they were told would definitely be among the first sites); Charlotte, N.C.; Dallas-Ft. Worth; Riverside, Calif.; Pittsburgh; Kansas City (Missouri and Kansas); Cincinnati; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Cleveland; San Francisco; Atlanta; Houston; Detroit; Seattle; Baltimore; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Boston; and Tampa.

It's been a tense waiting period for HME stakeholders who have expected CMS to issue the final rule for months, as well as announce the 10 MSAs. Based on the agency's current timeline, the bidding program will be implemented in October. CMS has said it could decide to phase in the initial locations.

In any case, the addition of Orlando means that there are now 20 cities in which unaccredited Medicare Part B providers must pursue accreditation. CMS has said providers in the areas it chooses for 2007 bidding should be accredited by spring.

And while the list of prospective MSAs grew by one, the list of DMEPOS accreditors shrank by one.

The Board of Certification in Pedorthics has merged with the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics. The merger, which became official Jan. 1, was approved by 89 percent of the two agencies' members, said Tom Derrick, public relations, marketing and professional discipline manager for ABC.

"It's a good step in the right direction," Derrick said, noting that the integration of the two bodies further streamlines the credentialing and accreditation processes for orthotists and prosthetists, as well as pedorthists.

The organization will likely change its name at some point to the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics, Derrick said.

That name would join the list of nine other CMS-approved accreditors, which also includes: Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC); Board of Orthotic/Prosthetic Certification (BOC); Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF); Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP); The Compliance Team; Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditaiton (HQAA); The Joint Commission (JCAHO); National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP); and The National Board of Accreditation for Orthotic Suppliers.

For contacts and information about what each organization is approved to accredit, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcqforDMEPOS.