CSIHME Outlines 1H 2010 Lobbying Plan
Four-point agenda covers NCB, O2, power mobility and PECOS.
- By David Kopf
- Feb 12, 2010
The Legislative Activity Board (LAB) of CSIHME has outline a set of legislative priorities for lobbying efforts in early 2010 that it says address the top issues facing small independent DME suppliers.
“To this end, CSIHME encourages all lobby efforts to deliver this unified message to assure our success in protecting the DME industry,” read a statement from CSIHME. “CSIHME urges adoption of these priorities by all state and national associations to ensure message unity in all Washington lobby efforts and limiting the taking points to these four to prevent diluting the lobby effort and taking emphasis from the key concerns.”
The plan covers four main agenda items:
• Repeal competitive bidding. CSIHME called the program the “No. 1 threat to small DME suppliers” and describe CMS’s program as an “ill-conceived” bidding program that will “literally be suicide for small business.” Key points against the program CSIHME reminded are that it will harm patient access to care, reduce quality of care and services, reduce competition, reduce patient choice, and put thousands of providers out of business and tens of thousands of Americans out of work. CSIHME said it aggressively supports H.R. 3790, the house bill to repeal the competitive bidding program.
• Repeal the oxygen cap. While industry efforts during 2009 to reform the oxygen benefit and repeal the 36-month oxygen rental cap were eclipsed by the larger congressional debate over healthcare reform, CSIHME reminds providers that the cap has created a “serious crisis” for oxygen providers that still must be addressed. CSIHME says it still aggressively supports H.R. 2373, which calls for a repeal of the program and says that it will work with Congress to implement payment reforms including a plan to cut stationary oxygen fees, which increasing fees for portable devices.
• Delay implementation of PECOS edits. CSIHME labels PECOS a “the most critical short-term crisis” facing providers, and that it could result in a serious disruption of cash flow for providers since claims from physicians and other healthcare professionals not registered in PECOS will not be funded by Medicare. CSIHME says it supports a supplier driven letter campaign from legislators to HHS Secretary Sebelius requesting an indefinite delay in implementing the edits on DME claims or place financial responsibility on physicians.
• Preserve the first month purchase option for power mobility device. Citing similar financial and patient care access issues, CSIHME says the industry must strive to protect the first month purchase option for standard power mobility, which has been put in jeopardy by some health reform proposals. “Eliminating the purchase option will place a financial burden on providers who will have to finance the purchase of medically necessary wheelchairs for 13-months in cases where the need for such equipment is lifetime,” a CSIHME statement read. CSIHME says the industry must ask legislators to preserve the first month purchase option in any healthcare reform legislation moving forward.
About the Author
David Kopf is the Editor of HME Business.