AP NewsBreak: Competition cuts down Medicare fraud

A yearlong experiment with competitive bidding for power wheelchairs, diabetic supplies and other personal medical equipment produced $200 million in savings for Medicare, and government officials said Wednesday they are expanding the pilot program in search of even greater dividends.

Members of the House Budget Committee heard revealing testimony Tuesday from senior administrators of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security—federal entitlements that face certain bankruptcy unless Congress acts soon to restructure the programs. The remarks from Richard  …

Earmarks are unrelated pet projects that members of Congress insert in spending bills. The president maintained that earmarks can serve a useful purpose, but he said it is time for Congress and the White House to embrace a new set of guiding principles.

Doug Hoschek sells the Army's elite Special Forces a T-shirt that resists burning — a feature that can save the lives of soldiers under fire.

On October 17, 2007, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published a Notice in the Federal Register announcing the first site for the Medicare clinical laboratory services competitive bidding demonstration project.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently posted 2 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding skilled nursing facilities and the Medicare durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) competitive bidding program.

On July 27, 2007, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that it has extended the bid submission, registration and accreditation deadlines for the Medicare durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies competitive bidding program.

On May 25, 2007, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the financial measures that CMS and its Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor will use to evaluate the financial stability of suppliers that bid under the Medicare durable medical equipment, pros …

On May 15, 2007, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services opened the first round of bidding under the Medicare durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies competitive bidding program.

Initially, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reported that bidding under the DMEPOS competitive bidding program would open in late April 2007.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted an educational webcast on the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor website. The webcast is designed to assist suppliers that intend to participate in the DMEPOS competitive bidding program.

In implementing the DMEPOS competitive bidding program, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 requires that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) take appropriate steps to ensure that small DMEPOS suppliers have an opportunity to p …