What will contract suppliers be paid when they furnish oxygen and oxygen equipment or capped rental durable medical equipment (DME) to a beneficiary who transitions to them from a non-contract supplier in the middle of the 36-month or 13-month rental payment period?
If a beneficiary who would otherwise be entitled to obtain oxygen from a grandfathered supplier changes to a contract supplier, the contract supplier will be paid at least 10 monthly payment amounts at the single payment amount regardless of how many months the previous supplier was paid.
For example, for rental agreements in months 2 through 26, the new contract supplier will be paid for the remaining rental months of the period. Contract suppliers assuming rental agreements that are in months 27 or later will receive a minimum of 10 payments regardless of how many months the previous supplier was paid.
If the beneficiary changes to a new contract supplier, the new contract supplier must replace the equipment. If the beneficiary changes from a contract supplier to another contract supplier, the new contract supplier is NOT entitled to a minimum number of months of payment and will be paid the single payment amount for the duration of the rental period not to exceed 36 months.
If a beneficiary who would otherwise be entitled to obtain a capped rental DME item from a grandfathered supplier changes to a contract supplier, a new 13-month rental period begins regardless of how many months the previous supplier was paid. However, rental payments only continue if the item continues to be medically necessary. The contract supplier will be paid the single payment amount. If the beneficiary changes from a contract supplier to another contract supplier, a new rental period does NOT begin, and the new contract supplier will be paid the single payment amount for the duration of the capped rental period.
For more information, please view the Grandfathering for Oxygen or Grandfathering for DME fact sheet.