ALEXANDRIA, VA – The National Community Pharmacists Association has asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to delay the accreditation deadline for Medicare Part B Durable Medical Equipment, Orthotics, Prosthetics and Supplies or at least suspend enforcement.

Congress passed legislation last October extending the accreditation deadline to Jan. 1, 2010. The bill also granted CMS the authority to further delay the deadline.

Seventeen medical providers have been exempted from the costly regulation, and there’s bipartisan support for exempting pharmacists as part of healthcare reform.

“CMS has the power and should use it to prevent a sudden disruption of seniors’ ability to continue purchasing medical supplies at their nearby community pharmacy,” said Bruce T. Roberts, the NCPA's executive vice president and CEO, in a letter sent last week to the CMS.

Robert said Congress has shown a willingness to help pharmacists who aren't exempted from the requirement, but that legislative solution will not occur in time.

“Why penalize patients whose pharmacists are not accredited when they could soon be exempted from the regulation? Why put CMS employees through the exercise of revoking pharmacy billing numbers only to re-enroll them when Congress enacts a pharmacy exemption,” he asked.