Applying for Accreditation 

Why should my facility be accredited with ABC?

Can I provide services prior to being accredited?

Can I apply without having board certified or licensed staff members?

Do I need to apply for all scopes of service that I am providing or just specific ones?

What is an affiliate?

Do I need to apply for all of my patient care locations?

Do I need a National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) number to apply for accreditation?

How do I know if I’m exempt from mandatory accreditation?

How do I start the accreditation process?

Is there a charge for your accreditation standards?

How long does the accreditation process take?

When should I submit my application?

How long will my accreditation be effective?

What if our facility is moving?

What if I have contracts that are pending accreditation?

What other tools does ABC offer to help me with this process?

Why should my facility be accredited with ABC?
ABC sets the highest standards for quality orthotic, prosthetic, and pedorthic care.  When a facility is accredited by ABC, it is the mark of exceptional quality. 
The process of obtaining facility accreditation:
* Ensures better patient care through compliance of ABC and Medicare’s standards.
* Shows your facility’s commitment to excellence and helps build credibility with referral sources and patients.
* Reduces business expenses by assisting organizations in identifying inefficiencies and areas for improvement. 
* Improves organizational consistency throughout the facility’s operations, including patient care, fabrication and chart documentation.
* Decreases the risk of liability through compliance of ABC and Medicare’s standards
* Reduces the chance of fraud
* Lowers the amount of headaches with Medicare audits.

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Can I provide services prior to being accredited?
Yes, ABC requires that you are operational at the time of survey and requires a minimum of 10 patient charts from your facility.  However, you may or may not be able to bill third party payers.  Please check with the payers that you work with to see if you are required to be accredited prior to providing payer covered services.

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Can I apply without having board certified or licensed staff members?
It is your facility’s responsibility to have appropriately certified and/or licensed staff members at the time of your facility’s application.  Please do not submit an application if you do not have a certified and/or licensed professional on staff.

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Do I need to apply for all scopes of service that I am providing or just specific ones?
You must apply for ABC accreditation in all of the services you provided regardless of whether your facility is billing CMS for those services.

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What is an affiliate?
An affiliate is a secondary location that is part of the corporate structure of the primary practice and is located within 60 minutes driving time of the primary facility.  The affiliate must share the same Tax ID number but maintain a separate National Provider ID (NPI) and CMS Supplier Number (PTAN).

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Do I need to apply for all of my patient care locations?
Yes, all locations associated with an accredited facility must seek accreditation.  ABC requires that you apply for all rented, owned, or leased patient care sites.

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Do I need a National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) number to apply for accreditation?
No, you do not need a NSC number to apply for accreditation. As of March 1, 2008 non-exempt suppliers enrolling with NSC must be accredited prior to submission of CMS-855S to the NSC. 

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How do I know if I’m exempt from mandatory accreditation?
CMS announced that several supplier types are exempt from accreditation requirements. Among the supplier groups are:
* Physicians
* Orthotists
* Prosthetists
* Opticians
* Optometrists
* Audiologists
* Occupational Therapists
* Physical Therapists
* Ocularists

Exempt suppliers are reminded that accreditation exemptions only extend to the normal scope of services for the supplier specialty.  Any products or services provided outside the normal range of services will require accreditation to obtain/maintain Medicare billing privileges. 

Please note if you provide Durable Medical Equipment (DME) outside of your specialty, your facility will be required to be accredited in order to bill Medicare.  For more information regarding exempt status, please visit the National Supplier Clearinghouse’s website.

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How do I start the accreditation process?
To become ABC accredited, you will need to complete the application form and meet all of the ABC accreditation standards. The accreditation guide, application and standards are available for download on ABC’s website.

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Is there a charge for your accreditation standards?
No, ABC offers its accreditation standards free of charge to all applicants. The accreditation standards can be downloaded from ABC’s website.

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How long does the accreditation process take?
The first step toward ABC accreditation is the application approval process which takes two to four weeks. Once the accreditation eligibility standards have been met, you will receive a letter indicating that your facility has been approved for an onsite survey. Please note that your survey can occur as soon as 24 hours after your application has been processed. The average wait time between acceptance of your application and the onsite survey is three to four months but could take longer.

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When should I submit my application?
You should submit your application as soon as your facility is ready for an ABC on-site survey.  Do not submit an application if you’re not ready for an on-site survey.

How long will my accreditation be effective?
Most accreditations are valid for up to three years.

What if our facility is moving?
If your facility plans to move during the accreditation process and you have already submitted your application, we recommend placing your application on hold. If you have not submitted an application for accreditation, we suggest moving to your new location before applying.  If your site is currently accredited through ABC, you must submit a renewal application with a detailed cover letter regarding the changes and appropriate application fees as accreditation is non-transferrable.

What if I have contracts that are pending accreditation?
Please submit a statement along with your application detailing your pending contracts so that your paperwork can be processed accordingly.  ABC will do its best to accommodate all facility requests, but this is not always possible.

What other tools does ABC offer to help me with this process?
ABC offers checklists and brochures that can give you insight on what surveyors are looking for when they come for the onsite inspection. ABC is currently working on new tools to assist your facility with the accreditation process.  Stay tuned!

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