(a) Basis. This section is based on sections 1834(a)(12) and 1834(h) of the Act, which authorize the Secretary to designate one carrier for one or more entire regions to process claims for durable medical equipment, prosthetic devices, prosthetics, orthotics, and other supplies (DMEPOS). This authority has been delegated to CMS.

(b) Types of claims. Claims for the following, except for items incident to a physician's professional service as defined in § 410.26, incident to a physician's service in a rural health clinic as defined in § 405.2413, or bundled into payment to a provider, ambulatory surgical center, or other facility, are processed by the designated carrier for its designated region and not by other carriers—

(1) Durable medical equipment (and related supplies) as defined in section 1861(n) of the Act;

(2) Prosthetic devices (and related supplies) as described in section 1861(s)(8) of the Act, (including intraocular lenses and parenteral and enteral nutrients, supplies, and equipment, when furnished under the prosthetic device benefit);

(3) Orthotics and prosthetics (and related supplies) as described in section 1861(s)(9);

(4) Home dialysis supplies and equipment as described in section 1861(s)(2)(F);

(5) Surgical dressings and other devices as described in section 1861(s)(5);

(6) Immunosuppressive drugs as described in section 1861(s)(2)(J); and

(7) Other items or services which are designated by CMS.

(c) Region designation. (1) The boundaries of the initial four regions for processing claims described in paragraph (b) of this section contain the following States and territories:

(i) Region A: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

(ii) Region B: Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

(iii) Region C: North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

(iv) Region D: Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, California, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri.

(2) CMS has the option to modify the number and boundaries of the regions established in paragraph (c)(1) of this section based on appropriate criteria and considerations, including the effect of the change on beneficiaries and DMEPOS suppliers. To announce changes, CMS publishes a notice in the Federal Register that delineates the regional boundary or boundaries changed, the States and territories affected, and supporting criteria or considerations.

(d) Criteria for designating regional carriers. CMS designates regional carriers to achieve a greater degree of effectiveness and efficiency in the administration of the Medicare program. In making this designation, CMS will award regional carrier contracts in accordance with applicable law and will consider some or all of the following criteria—

(1) Timeliness of claim processing;

(2) Cost per claim;

(3) Claim processing quality;

(4) Experience in claim processing, and in establishing local medical review policy; and

(5) Other criteria that CMS believes to be pertinent.

(e) Carrier designation. (1) Each carrier designated a regional carrier must process claims for items listed in paragraph (b) of this section for beneficiaries whose permanent residence is within that carrier's region as designated under paragraph (c) of this section. When processing the claims, the carrier must use the payment rates applicable for the State of residence of the beneficiary, including a qualified Railroad Retirement beneficiary. A beneficiary's permanent residence is the address at which he or she intends to spend 6 months or more of the calendar year.

(2) CMS notifies affected Medicare beneficiaries and suppliers when it designates a regional carrier (in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section) to process DMEPOS claims (as defined in paragraph (b) of this section) for all Medicare beneficiaries residing in their respective regions (as designated under paragraph (c) of this section).

(3) CMS may contract for the performance of National Supplier Clearinghouse functions through a contract amendment to one of the DME regional carrier contracts or through a contract amendment to any Medicare carrier contract under § 421.200.

(4) CMS periodically recompetes the contracts for the DME regional carriers. CMS also periodically recompetes the National Supplier Clearinghouse function.

(f) Collecting information of ownership. Carriers designated as regional claims processors must obtain from each supplier of items listed in paragraph (b) of this section information concerning ownership and control as required by section 1124A of the Act and part 420 of this chapter, and certifications that supplier standards are met as required by part 424 of this chapter.

[57 FR 27307, June 18, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 60796, Nov. 18, 1993; 70 FR 9239, Feb. 25, 2005]