When it comes to Durable Medical Equipment (DME) compliance, there are a few fundamental issues of which your DME company needs to be aware. Failure to comply with any of the regulations currently on the books could potentially result in fines, penalties, or even the loss of your business’s license. In this post, we’ll look at some of the most pressing DME compliance issues that could affect your business — and offer a suggestion for making DME compliance easier than you may have ever imagined.
The Top DME Compliance Issues
If you own or manage a DME business, compliance should be at the top of your list of concerns. Unfortunately, two of the areas that see more than their fair share of DME compliance violations are billing practices and marketing practices.
Billing practices that can put your business out of DME compliance include billing for DME products that were not needed or ordered by a qualified medical professional, duplicate billing, and billing Medicare for new equipment when used equipment was provided to the recipient. While this is just a brief overview of the many ways your DME business can get into hot water over billing issues, it is vitally important to know and stay compliant with all established regulations.
The other area where DME companies can run afoul of compliance is in their marketing — especially as it pertains to lead generation. Every business, DME businesses included, relies on a steady stream of customers to keep the organization running. As a result, many DME providers partner with a lead generation company to locate potential clients that may require their goods or services. Potential compliance issues arise when payments for services of this type violate the Federal AKS or Anti-Kickback Statute. While the issue of AKS violations is broad, complex, and beyond the scope of this post to discuss in its entirety, you should be aware that this is how DME businesses unintentionally venture out of compliance.
Beyond billing and marketing, there are still more compliance issues of which DME businesses should be aware. These include ensuring that patients have a legitimate need for the equipment, that it is used correctly, and that it is properly maintained. Failing to comply with any of these regulations can result in significant fines or worse.
DME Compliance: The Cost of Getting it Wrong
Every reputable DME business wants to abide by the established regulations. But unfortunately, if and when non-compliance occurs, it can significantly impact your bottom line, both in terms of financial penalties and damage to your business’s reputation.
Increased scrutiny in the form of audits, monetary fines, suspension or loss of required licenses, and even jail time are potential consequences of operating a DME business out of compliance with current regulations. The good news is that in most cases, these outcomes are avoidable through a diligent approach to compliance.
Keep Your DME Business Compliant with Medbill
To sum up what we’ve discussed, DME compliance is a complex and ever-changing landscape, and non-compliance can result in significant penalties for both you and your business. Therefore, staying up-to-date on the latest DME compliance issues is essential to avoid penalties.
If you’d prefer to spend more time focusing on your business and less mired in the complex world of DME compliance issues — Medbill makes it not only possible but easier than ever before. With extensive experience successfully navigating DME compliance, the Medbill team is uniquely qualified to provide the DME compliance services your business needs to thrive in this competitive market. Contact us today for a personalized quote and more information on how Medbill can make your compliance concerns a relic of the past.