In a notice sent through its listserv this afternoon, CMS said it is extending the deadline for registration of first-round bidders and bid submissions by one week.

In a notice sent through its listserv this afternoon, CMS said it is extending the deadline for registration of first-round bidders and bid submissions by one week.

The notice follows in its entirety:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is extending the registration and bid submission deadlines for the first round of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program.

Please note: All bids are now due by 9:00 p.m. prevailing Eastern Time on July 20, 2007, and the registration deadline is July 7, 2007.

--On May 15, 2007, CMS issued a request for bids for the first round of the Medicare DMEPOS competitive bidding program. The original due date was 9:00 p.m. prevailing Eastern Time on July 13, 2007. All bids are now due by 9:00 p.m. prevailing Eastern Time on July 20, 2007.

--Suppliers interested in bidding must first register and receive a User ID and Password before they can access the internet-based bid submission system. Suppliers should register immediately to avoid a delay in being able to submit bids. Registration opened on April 9, 2007. The original registration deadline was June 30, 2007. The registration deadline is now July 7, 2007.

--Suppliers must be accredited or be pending accreditation to submit a bid and will need to be accredited to be awarded a contract. The accreditation deadline for the first round of competitive bidding is August 31, 2007. Suppliers should apply for accreditation immediately to allow adequate time to process their applications. For a list of the CMS-approved Deemed Accreditation Organizations, visit: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcqforDMEPOS.

For more information on the program, please visit www.dmecompetitivebid.com.