Effective October 15, 2026: CMS’s probationary prior authorization applies to newly enrolled DMEPOS suppliers and certain ownership-change suppliers receiving enrollment approval on or after that date. The current list covers 40 codes: 38 orthoses and two bone-growth stimulators. The one-year probation starts with the supplier’s first claim. This is not a new authorization requirement for every equipment order or every existing supplier.

DomAfina’s take: add a supplier-status check to equipment referrals. Confirm the specific supplier location, the item’s code and whether authorization is required. If it is, identify who owns the request and confirm its status before promising a delivery date. Track missing clinical documentation as an open handoff, not a completed referral. A familiar supplier brand can still have a newly enrolled location—so verify the location, not just the logo.

Source reviewed: CMS: DMEPOS Probationary Prior Authorization FAQs. The source supports the reported update; the operational recommendations are DomAfina’s analysis.