After last week’s encouraging news that Rep. Zeldin (R-N.Y.) had introduced into the House H.R.3229, a bill that would prevent CMS from applying competitive bidding-derived pricing to CRT accessories, the American Association for Homecare called on its member providers to also support a Senate effort to protect those accessories.
The cuts are serious business; they could reduce reimbursement by between 20 and 50 percent, according to AAHomecare. This would prevent vulnerable patient groups, such as individuals suffering from cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injuries, from getting the therapy accessories they need.
To protect those patients’ access to the right equipment and care, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) joined the fight by circulating a strongly worded, bipartisan sign-on letter in the upper chamber asking the CMS to rescind the application of bid rates to complex rehab accessories.
The full list of signatories was not yet available, given the tight deadline of maximizing the number of signatures by today, Wed., Aug 5, which is the start of the Senate August recess. In fact, the deadline was so tight that AAHoemcare asked providers to “please leverage your relationship with your Senator to ask that [he or she] sign the letter to CMS.”
As for Zeldin’s legislation in the lower chamber, AAHomecare President and CEO Tom Ryan underscored the critical nature of the bill.
“Congress has already recognized that highly sophisticated complex rehab wheelchairs and accessories require a commitment to provide advanced services, training and personnel to ensure appropriate use, and that these products are very different from standard wheelchairs,” Ryan said. “When CMS refused a formal Congressional request to rescind the application of bid rates to complex rehab accessories, it became clear that clarifying legislation was needed.”