EXETER, Pa.--A statement issued Thursday by Pride Mobility Products Corp. said the manufacturer has uncovered potential problems in the Riverside, Calif., competitive bidding area and calls on Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt to launch a full investigation into the matter.

According to the statement, Pride has received reports that 18 of the winning standard power wheelchair category bidders in the CBA all had price, product supplier and consultant in common.

“This information has been corroborated to us by multiple sources,” Pride Chairman and CEO Scott Meuser wrote in a letter to Leavitt. Meuser urged the HHS head to act quickly, saying “this is an important matter that requires immediate action in light of the short timeframe that exists prior to implementation of the program on July 1, 2008.”

According to CMS, 19 contracts for standard PWCs, scooters and accessories were offered in the Riverside CBA. CMS data also indicates winning bids in that bidding area were 50 to 70 percent lower than current the Medicare allowable versus the national average of 25 percent, Pride said.

“The information further supports the notion that the integrity of the process may have been compromised,” Pride said, adding this “strongly suggests the need for a delay so that the competitive bidding process can be fully and properly evaluated prior to implementation.”

To view a chart of CMS' contract offers in round one, click here.

To view CMS' round one single payment amount charts by product category, click here.

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