CMS discontinues medical device forms to ease physician administrative burdens
The Biden administration is removing two forms providers need to fill out to get reimbursement for certain durable medical equipment in an effort to ease administrative burden.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Wednesday it will discontinue the certificates of medical necessity (CMN) and durable medical equipment information forms (DIF) starting in 2023.Read More : BioInteractions’ antimicrobial coating for medical devices Both forms are currently needed to get reimbursement for medical equipment to ensure they are medically necessary. However, CMS rethought the need for the forms recently. “Through stakeholder outreach, CMS received feedback that CMNs and DIFs are burdensome and duplicative of information already available on the claim or in the medical record,” CMS said in a release. “Additionally, CMS heard that submission of these forms is often particularly difficult for small or rural providers without administrative staff and technical support.”
The agency hopes that ending the forms will help ensure quicker access to supplies for Medicare beneficiaries. “It also enables frontline clinicians to focus on providing direct care and streamlines the coverage process for suppliers,” CMS added.
The agency noted that the forms are still necessary before the end of this year. This is the latest bid to ease administrative burden on physicians, especially amid a staffing shortage and lingering financial issues linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this month, CMS suspended prior authorization requirements under certain circumstances for orthopedic medical equipment like prosthetics. Congress is also considering legislation that would mandate electronic prior authorization processes for Medicare Advantage plans and streamline a process that physicians say consumes too much of their time.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Wednesday it will discontinue the certificates of medical necessity (CMN) and durable medical equipment information forms (DIF) starting in 2023.
The agency hopes that ending the forms will help ensure quicker access to supplies for Medicare beneficiaries. “It also enables frontline clinicians to focus on providing direct care and streamlines the coverage process for suppliers,” CMS added.
The agency noted that the forms are still necessary before the end of this year. This is the latest bid to ease administrative burden on physicians, especially amid a staffing shortage and lingering financial issues linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this month, CMS suspended prior authorization requirements under certain circumstances for orthopedic medical equipment like prosthetics. Congress is also considering legislation that would mandate electronic prior authorization processes for Medicare Advantage plans and streamline a process that physicians say consumes too much of their time.
Source: www.fiercehealthcare.com
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