The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has once again delayed the face-to-face requirement for durable medical equipment providers in working with Medicare patients, pushing the requirement indefinitely until more information is given in 2014. 

CMS said additional concerns about the implementation time frame for the new requirements, set under the Affordable Care Act, warrant such a delay.

“Due to continued concerns that some providers and suppliers may need additional time to establish operational protocols necessary to comply with face-to-face encounter requirements mandated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for certain items of DME, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will start actively enforcing and will expect full compliance with the DME face-to-face requirements beginning by a date that will be announced in Calendar Year 2014,” CMS stated in a notice to providers. 

Some providers have already implemented the requirement, CMS acknowledged in noting an ongoing collaboration between providers and physicians as the implementation process and time frame become more clear. The agency says it will notify providers of changes via its website at a forthcoming date. 

“CMS expects all durable medical equipment suppliers to have fully established such internal processes and have appropriate documentation of required encounters by a date that will be announced in Calendar Year 2014,” the agency stated. “Those suppliers and physicians who are currently implementing the face-to-face requirement should continue to do so.

Written by Elizabeth Ecker