NABP Wins CMS Approval to Accredit Suppliers of Durable Medical Equipment

November 29, 2006 12:00 AM

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) received approval on November 22, 2006, from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to become an accrediting organization for suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS).
NABP’s DMEPOS-accreditation program, which meets or exceeds all of CMS’ quality standards, targets state-licensed pharmacies that provide a limited line of durable medical equipment. The primary goal of the program is to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries receive the appropriate products, services, and patient care associated with DMEPOS.
“NABP’s program is unique because of the Association’s extensive knowledge of pharmacy practice and its close tie with pharmacy and the state boards of pharmacy,” said Lawrence H. Mokhiber, MS, RPh, NABP president.
NABP’s new role as an accrediting organization for DMEPOS suppliers fulfills, in part, Section 302(a)(1) of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, which requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and implement supplier quality standards to be applied by recognized independent accreditation organizations.
As the program is phased in over the next few years, suppliers in designated areas will be required to meet the quality standards and accreditation requirements in order to provide DMEPOS items for which Medicare Part B makes payment, as well as to receive or retain a supplier billing number for use in submitting claims for reimbursement for items or services covered by Medicare.
For more information regarding the DMEPOS program, contact NABP’s Customer Service Department at 847/391-4406 or via e-mail at dmepos@nabp.net. Program details will be provided on the Association’s Web site here.

Larissa Doucette