While the push continues to eliminate Medicare’s competitive bidding program, the VGM Group will also be striving to help suppliers make the right moves should the program go forward.
In July and August, VGM’s National Competitive Bidding Services team and various state associations will be presenting full-day courses called “Contracting Time Is Here: Do You Know Your Game Plan?”
Presenters are Mark Higley (VP of development), John Gallagher (VP of government relations) and Alan Morris (regulatory analyst) from VGM, as well as attorney Neil Caesar, president of the Health Law Center.
Topics covered in the presentation include:
- Detailed overview of the contractual obligations for bid winners.
- Discussion about financially evaluating a bidding contract, including a take-home comprehensive Contract Evaluation Toolkit.
- Legal advice and legal document templates for subcontracting and change of ownership.
- Dos, don’ts, and tips on marketing your competitive bidding contract or subcontracting agreement.
- In-depth legislative update on activity on Capitol Hill related to the effort to repeal competitive bidding, as well as other DME industry issues.
Said Morris, “This program is very comprehensive. Our goal is to ensure providers are fully informed as to what they can and can’t do. We want bid winners and non-winners alike to be as well equipped as one could be to survive this horrible program.”
Gallagher emphasized that repealing competitive bidding is still the ultimate goal: “Our focus remains on moving repeal legislation through Congress, and I remain very confident we’ll get it done. However, we can’t help but recognize the importance in preparing providers for the possibility that this program will move forward on Jan. 1, 2011.”
The seminar tour will take place on the following dates and locations:
- July 13 – Cincinnati
- July 14 – Pittsburgh
- July 15 – Orlando, Fla.
- July 20 – Dallas
- July 22 – Charlotte, N.C.
- July 27 – Kansas City
- July 29 – Miami
- August 10 – Cleveland
- August 17 – Riverside, Calif.
The seminar fee is $229 for VGM and state association members and $279 for non-members. Register by visiting vgmNCBservices.com, or call (800) 642-6065 for more information.
