MARCH 17, 2008

CMS RELEASES NCB ACCREDITATION DEADLINES
SIGN UP NOW…..
…and here are the reasons why:

• The deadline set by CMS to sign up with an accreditor is May 14, 2008 in order to participate in Round 2 of Competitive Bidding.  Signing up now will give you more time to work toward your accreditation; DO NOT WAIT until May 14th. 
• HQAA requires three months worth of data and implementation of the standards to survey
• HQAA requires that all suppliers who sign up to meet the requirements for Competitive Bidding must be ready for survey by July 1, 2008 in order to get surveyed on time; October 31, 2008
• Signing up now will ensure that your costs are spread out farther; HQAA requires payment in full prior to survey
• Give yourself more time NOW to work through the process and to IMPLEMENT all areas in the standards

HQAA Coaches are ready to assist as you work through your documentation completion phase.  It will be imperative that you put in to ACTION all the areas of the standards that are new to your organization. 
A Timeline Scenario:

• March 17, 2008 – Complete HQAA application on line (accessed through the home page, on the left)
• Complete your documentation requirements in the Workroom with your coach, finish May 1, 2008
• Survey window of May, June, July
• [EXAMPLE] Survey occurs June 25, results back to you by June 28 (ALL surveys by HQAA are completed on an unannounced basis)
• Follow-up report sent back to HQAA by August 1
• Final approval for accreditation award August 15

If you are seeking accreditation due to the Competitive Bidding deadlines, the following structure is in place effective immediately:

• No blackout dates will be allowed for the survey window
• All invoicing must be paid in full before accreditation will be awarded
• No refunds if there is failure to meet the deadline
• There will be no exceptions to the deadlines that HQAA will follow

HQAA will:

• Prioritize suppliers in the Competitive Bidding areas
• Stay current in reviewing your documents as you progress through your Workroom
• Prioritize your survey
• Ask you to sign a document that you understand these requirements put in place in order to meet the deadlines

Realize:

• If your survey final results demonstrate a need for a FOCUS SURVEY, this may not be able to occur within the deadline time period. 
• If a focus survey is recommended AND a re-visit cannot occur due to the deadlines, a PROVISIONAL accreditation may be awarded.  Provisional does not constitute a full award.  This is an indication to CMS that you are accredited, but does not afford the supplier all the rights of a fully accredited supplier until all deficiencies are corrected and observed as corrected
• Focus surveys MUST occur within 75 days of the formal notification that a focus survey is recommended; your correction of the deficiencies are up to you in a timely manner
• Failure to meet the requirements of the focus survey deadlines may result in withdrawing your provisional accreditation with CMS, thus risking your ability to Bid
• Pricing for a focus survey is set for paying the time AND expenses of the surveyor to re-visit your operation.  Full payment must be complete prior to the formal accreditation award.

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The information received from CMS on Thursday, March 13, 2008:
GET ACCREDITED FOR DMEPOS COMPETITIVE BIDDING!
In order to participate in the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program, suppliers must meet quality standards and be accredited by a CMS-approved Deemed Accreditation Organization.  Suppliers that are interested in bidding in the second round of the program must be aware of two key deadlines:

• Suppliers must be accredited or have applied for accreditation by May 14, 2008 to submit a bid for the second round of competitive bidding.  CMS cannot accept a bid from any supplier that is not accredited or that has not applied for accreditation by May 14, 2008.
• Suppliers will need to be accredited to be awarded a contract.  The accreditation deadline for the second round of competitive bidding is October 31, 2008.  Suppliers must be accredited before this date to be awarded a contract.  Suppliers should apply for accreditation immediately to allow adequate time to process their applications

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HQAA is ready and has the capacity to take you through the accreditation process to meet the deadlines.  You have responsibility to work very hard to accomplish all that lies before you.  We will be there by your side to see it through. 

On The Road
In the coming weeks, you can look for HQAA at several association meetings.  To name a few, look for us at:

• MESA’s All Star Conference
• AA Homecare’s Legislative Conference
• Kansas Pharmacy Association Meeting
• CAMP’s Spring Conference
• MAMES Spring Conference
• Indiana Spring Conference
• Medtrade Spring
• Kentucky Spring Conference
• The Heartland Conference

There continues to be a focused momentum all around the country to continually bring great education, excellent information and respected speakers to you.  Take advantage when you can.  We love seeing our current and future customers at each of these events. 

As always, our Quality Assistance Center is here to answer your questions about this process. Call 866.909.4722 for more information.

Our appreciation will be demonstrated to you through our commitment to the accreditation process and your company’s improvement.

Until the next update, Keep  Quality Continuous!