Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “DME Scammer Prevention Act of 2026”.
DME Scammer Prevention Act of 2026
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to promote Medicare program integrity with respect to certain medical equipment and supplies.
Sec. 2 Promoting Medicare program integrity with respect to certain medical equipment and supplies
Electronic submission of claims by all providers and suppliers— Section 1862(h) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y(h)) is amended—
in paragraph (1)(A)(ii), by striking “the entity” and inserting “except in the case of claims for specified items (as defined in paragraph (3)), the entity”; and
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(3) For purposes of paragraph (1)(A)(ii), the term “specified items” means medical equipment and supplies (as defined in section 1834(j)(5)) furnished on or after January 1, 2027, that are included on the Master List described in section 1834(a)(23).”
Submission of claims within 90 days— Section 1842(b)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(3)) is amended—
in subparagraph (B), in the flush matter following clause (ii), by inserting “(or, in the case of claims for applicable items, the period ending 90 days after such date of service)” after “date of service”; and
in the flush matter following subparagraph (L)—
in the sixth sentence—
by inserting “or end of the 90-day period specified in such subparagraph (as applicable)” after “close of the following calendar year”; and
by inserting “or end of such period (as applicable)” after “close of such year”;
in the ninth sentence, by inserting “or 90-day period (as applicable)” after “1 calendar year period”; and
by adding at the end the following new sentence: “For purposes of subparagraph (B), the term “applicable items” means specified items (as defined in section 1862(h)(3)), other than any such item that is included on the Required Face-to-Face Encounter and Written Order Prior to Delivery List described in section 410.38(c)(8) of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation) or on the Required Prior Authorization List described in section 414.234(c)(1) of title 42 of such Code (or a successor regulation) or for which payment is made on a monthly rental basis.”.
Report—
In general— Not later than January 1, 2030, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the technology used by medicare administrative contractors to screen claims for specified items to identify errors or indicators of potential waste, fraud, or abuse. Such report shall include, with respect to the 1-year period beginning on January 1, 2027—
an examination of—
the total number of such claims submitted during such period for which payment was initially denied on the basis of such screening technology; and
the total number of claims so denied for which payment was ultimately made; and
an examination of the extent to which the use of such screening technology (taking into account the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b)) assists in the identification of—
suspicious claims or aberrant billing practices that may be indicative of improper payments; and
the basis of claims denials.
Definitions— In this subsection:
Medicare administrative contractor— The term “medicare administrative contractor” has the meaning given such term in section 1874A(a)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395kk–1(a)(3)).
Specified items— The term “specified items” has the meaning given such term in section 1862(h)(3) of the Social Security Act, as added by subsection (a).