Industry to Support MPP at House Hearing
AAHomecare: May 9 hearing opportunity to point out NCB flaws, call for implementation of market-based alternative.
- By David Kopf
- May 03, 2012
The House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee will hold a hearing Wed, May 9 to examine the CMS's national competitive bidding (NCB) program to understand how the program is affecting patients, providers, and program expenditures.
The American Association for Homecare has said it will use the hearing as an opportunity to highlight the deficiencies in the current bidding program and press Congress to replace the program with a market pricing program (MPP).
“Congress established the competitive bidding program in light of evidence that the Medicare fee schedule payments far exceeded retail rates, leaving the DMEPOS benefit prone to waste, fraud, and abuse," said subcommittee Chairman Wally Herger (R-Calif.) in announcing the hearing. "I believe strongly in the competitive forces of the private market and the first year of the program shows this process has resulted in lower costs for Medicare and its beneficiaries.
"While this is encouraging, it is important to ensure the process by which suppliers compete is fair and that beneficiaries receive needed care," he added. "This hearing will help the subcommittee understand the successes and challenges with Round One before the program’s scheduled significant expansion next year.”
The hearing is slated for Wed, May 9, 2012, at 9 a.m. Eastern Time, in the 1100 Longworth House Office Building.
The association reminded providers that with Congress in recess, they should reach out to their lawmakers about the flaws in NCB and the need to adopt the MPP alternative.
About the Author
David Kopf is the Editor of HME Business.