TCT Unveils New DME Retailer Certification

Accrediting organization The Compliance Team releases a certification program to help retail HMEs demonstrate they offer care and service that patients can trust.

• By David Kopf
• Sep 26, 2022

Accrediting organization The Compliance Team (TCT) has launched its newest program, DMEPOS Retailer Certification, a quality assurance program for DMEPOS providers that are not billing Medicare.

The Compliance Team's new DMEPOS certification program provides quality validation to non-Medicare companies' customers, verifying that they have been certified by a reliable third party. The program covers the various DEMPOS workflows: intake, customer service, delivery, patient education, return policies, and follow-up. It helps standardize quality processes and services at the DMEPOS organization, ensuring safety for its customers. 

"There is a potential gap in quality for retailers that are not billing Medicare and so are not required to attain CMS-approved DMEPOS accreditation," explained Sandra Canally, RN, founder and CEO of The Compliance Team. "As one of the original CMS-approved DMEPOS accreditation organizations, we have seen a lack of oversight among providers that are serving patients via online web stores or that offer cash and carry services rather than bill Medicare.

"We believe these retailers should maintain the same level of quality as their Medicare-billing counterparts — especially for services that could be potentially detrimental to their patients," she added.

From the retail customers' perspective, certification helps them make better choices when buying online. 

"At the end of the day, our certification program helps customers choose their DME providers wisely and to make decisions based on quality, trust, and value," Canally said.

Successful completion of the new program gives providers the ability to use The Compliance Team's Exemplary Provider Certification logo. DMEPOS certification differs from DMEPOS accreditation in that certification is more focused on specific services. Certification is for two years, while accreditation is a three-year program.

For additional information, visit thecomplianceteam.org/our-accreditation-programs/dmepos/.