Physician practices can begin enrolling in the Competitive Acquisition Program (CAP) as of April 3, 2006. By that date, CMS expects to have posted on its website the names of participating CAP vendors for 2006, the categories of drugs that they will provide, and the geographic area in which each vendor will operate. Physicians then can choose the categories of drugs that they wish to receive from each vendor under CAP. Reports indicate that, initially, 182 Part B drugs and biologicals will be included in CAP.
For this first CAP cycle, which is a partial year running from July 1 through December 31, 2006, physicians have until May 18, 2006 to make their selections and there will be one category of drugs and one geographic area. Starting January 2007, the CAP cycle reverts to a calendar-year basis and elections will occur in the fall of each year.
CAP offers physicians the choice of obtaining certain drugs from vendors selected in a competitive bidding process, rather than buying and billing for these medications under the average sales price (ASP) system.
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