DME Scammer Prevention Act of 2026
Key claim: Medicare suppliers of high-risk durable medical equipment on CMS’s master list would have to file claims electronically within 90 days of furnishing the items, and GAO would report on how Medicare contractors detect fraud on those claims.
Abstract
(HR8871 · 119th Congress) DME Scammer Prevention Act of 2026 This bill establishes requirements relating to potentially fraudulent billing for certain durable medical equipment under Medicare. Specifically, the bill establishes requirements relating to billing for items that are on the Master List of Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies. (The master list includes items that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has identified as posing certain fiscal vulnerabilities and therefore require additional conditions for payments to be made, such as prior authorization.) The bill requires claims for such items to be filed electronically and within 90 days of when the items were furnished. The Government Accountability Office must report on the technology used by Medicare administrative contractors to identify fraudulent claims with respect to such items. Latest action (2026-05-21): Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 19.
Why this matters
The bill tightens Medicare program-integrity rules for a defined subset of durable medical equipment flagged as fraud-prone, shortening the claim filing window and mandating electronic submission for those items. For suppliers, it means new billing timelines and documentation burdens; for the program, it is a targeted anti-fraud lever that could affect what DME claims Medicare pays.