http://www.hmetoday.com/podcast.aspFor providers in the 70 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) that make up round two of competitive bidding, accreditation is a real and pressing prospect. All round two providers must apply for accreditation no later than May 14, 2008. After applying, accreditation must be achieved by October 31, 2008. We asked five accreditation experts about these deadlines, and the all-encompassing deadline of September 30, 2009. How long does accreditation take? If you are within 50 to 100 miles of a round two MSA, should you be concerned? Are backlogs a threat to timely accreditation? Are managed care and Medicaid payors likely to follow Medicare's lead and require accreditation? For answers to these questions and more, have a listen.en-usThu, 08 May 2008 10:00 ESTThu, 08 May 2008 10:00 ESThttp://www.hmetoday.com/assets/podcast_files/kolbe.mp3Beth Kolbe, PT, is a resource specialist for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), Tucson, Arizona. Long known for its work with rehab facilities, CARF is now accrediting for most DMEPOS product categories. In the absence of specific zip codes for the 70 MSAs in round two, Kolbe urges nearby providers to get the ball rolling. "If I were an HME provider within 100 miles of any of those cities listed [in the 70 MSAs]," says Kolbe, "I would have started my accreditation." Thu, 08 May 2008 10:00 ESThttp://www.hmetoday.com/assets/podcast_files/kolbe.mp312:06http://www.hmetoday.com/assets/podcast_files/canally.mp3Sandy Canally, president of The Compliance Team, Spring House, Pa, works on the premise that accreditation can be more easily achieved by simplifying DMEPOS quality standards and streamlining implementation. While the Compliance Team can fast track providers under the competitive bidding crunch, Canally warns that providers not bound by the May 14 application deadline should also come forward to avoid backlogs down the road.Wed, 07 May 2008 10:00 ESThttp://www.hmetoday.com/assets/podcast_files/canally.mp311:44http://www.hmetoday.com/assets/podcast_files/nicholas.mp3As an optimist with a healthy dose of realism, Mary K. Nicholas believes in the old adage; hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. "So many media publications are talking about the efforts being made to discontinue competitive bidding, and I think there are a lot of folks out there who think that is going to happen," says Nicholas, executive director of the Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation (HQAA), Waterloo, Iowa. "If things change, they change-but to sit back and wait to see if it [competitive bidding] gets canceled-is dangerous." Tue, 06 May 2008 10:00 ESThttp://www.hmetoday.com/assets/podcast_files/nicholas.mp39:25http://www.hmetoday.com/assets/podcast_files/cesar.mp3Tom Cesar is president of the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC). The Raleigh, NC-based company is one of 10 deemed organizations for DMEPOS accreditation. Cesar and ACHC focus on continuous quality improvement activities, and carry the motto "by providers for providers." Beyond merely qualifying for Medicare, Cesar sees accreditation as a means of improving all facets of a company, from patient care to revenue. Mon, 05 May 2008 10:00 ESThttp://www.hmetoday.com/assets/podcast_files/cesar.mp311:09