Florida DME competitive bidding demonstration
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
The Florida Association of Medical Equipment Dealers and several DME companies file suit Feb. 4 in Florida federal district court against the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Health Care Financing Administration to halt the planned competitive bidding demonstration for five categories of DME in Polk County, Florida, set to begin in April ("The Gray Sheet" Nov. 16, 1998, p. 12). The plaintiffs contend that HCFA acted in violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act when it established a National Technical Expert Panel to assist in formulating the demonstration. The suit asks for a preliminary injunction on the demonstration until HCFA complies with the law, which requires that meetings be open to the public, that advance notice and agendas are given, and that records are available