The Ultimate Bid Submission Walkthrough: Navigating Form B in Connexion (2026 Edition)

Answer Summary

The Connexion portal is now open for pricing submissions via Form B. For the 2026 Competitive Bidding round, providers must navigate a new interface that separates “Lead Item” bidding from “Non-Lead” data. This guide walks you through the four critical steps of submission: Selecting your Product Categories, entering your Lead Item Price (which now sets the rate for the entire category), defining your Capacity, and certifying your bid. Warning: The “75th Percentile” rule change means your bid strategy must account for a higher clearing price threshold than in previous rounds.

Introduction: The Calculator vs. The Screen

You have spent months calculating your costs. You know your margins. You have your “Walk Away” price.

Now, you have to put that number into the machine.

The Connexion portal’s Form B is where the rubber meets the road. It is also where many providers make fatal data entry errors. A typo here doesn’t just mean a rejected claim; it means you are locked into a losing price for three years.

For 2026, CMS has streamlined Form B, but they have also removed some of the “safety rails” that used to exist. If you enter a bid of $5.00 instead of $50.00, the system will not stop you.

At Wonder Worth Solutions, we assist providers with the technical side of submission. We don’t tell you what to bid, but we ensure the number you want to bid is the number that actually gets recorded.

Phase 1: Product Category Selection (The Scope)

When you open Form B, your first task is to tell CMS what you are bidding on.

• The Screen: You will see a list of 16 Product Categories (e.g., “Standard Mobility,” “Oxygen,” “Enteral Nutrients”).
• The Action: Check the box for every category you intend to service.
• The Trap: If you check a category by accident (e.g., “Walker” instead of “Wheelchair”), you trigger a requirement to upload licensure for that category. If you don’t have it, your entire bid can be flagged.
• The Rule: Only check what you are licensed and accredited for today.

Phase 2: Lead Item Pricing (The One Number)

This is the most dangerous screen in the portal.

In the past, you might have bid on 20 different codes. In 2026, you bid on One Lead Item per category.

• The Screen: You will see the Lead Item HCPCS Code (e.g., E1390 for Oxygen Concentrator).
• The Input: You enter your Bid Price for this single item.
• The Math: CMS uses this one number to calculate the reimbursement for every other code in the group (tanks, tubing, regulators) using historical ratios.

The “75th Percentile” Shift

For 2026, CMS is calculating the Single Payment Amount (SPA) based on the 75th Percentile of winning bids (up from the “Median” or “Maximum” in previous proposals).

• What this means: The clearing price will likely be higher (better for you) than in the past.
• The Strategy: You do not need to race to the bottom. Bidding slightly higher is safer than bidding too low, provided you stay within the “winning range” of capacity.

Phase 3: Capacity Entry (The “Promise”)

After the price, the system asks: “How many units can you provide?”

• The Screen: You must enter your Estimated Capacity for the lead item.
• The Trap: Do not enter “1,000,000” to look impressive.
• The Audit: If your capacity exceeds 20% of the total market demand and exceeds your historical volume, you trigger a Financial Capacity Audit. CMS will check your Form A credit report to see if you can afford to buy that inventory.
• The Safe Bet: Bid your actual historical capacity + a realistic growth margin (e.g., 20%).

Phase 4: Manufacturer Data (The “Bona Fide” Check)

For certain items, Connexion will ask for the Manufacturer and Model Name of the product you intend to supply.

• Why? CMS uses this to verify your bid is “Bona Fide.” If you bid $200 for a wheelchair, but list a model that costs $400 wholesale, the system flags the bid as “Non-Bona Fide” (financially unviable).
• Action: Have your manufacturer invoices ready. You need the exact Model Number, not just “Drive Medical.”

Phase 5: The “Certifying Statement” (The Legal Lock)

The final screen is a legal affidavit.

• The Text: “I certify that I have the authority to bind this organization… and that the data is true.”
• The Click: Once you click “Submit,” your bid is encrypted. You can modify it until the window closes, but you cannot “un-submit.”
• The Receipt: You will receive a Bid Confirmation Number. Print this. Save it as a PDF. Email it to your lawyer. If the system crashes later, this is your only proof that you bid.

WWS Value Proposition: The “Second Set of Eyes”

You should never submit Form B alone.

Wonder Worth Solutions offers a “screen-share” submission support service. We watch (securely) as you enter your data.

• Sanity Check: “Did you mean to type $5.00 or $50.00?”
• Category Check: “You selected Oxygen, but your license is for Mobility.”
• Receipt Verification: We ensure you get the confirmation number before you log off.