The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) is urging the home medical equipment (HME) industry to respond robustly to the Department of Commerce’s Section 232 national security investigation into imported medical equipment, devices and consumables.
“The department is seeking comments from stakeholders on multiple topics,” AAHomecare said in an Oct. 8 bulletin, “including these, for medical equipment/DME [durable medical equipment], medical devices, medical consumables, and PPE [personal protective equipment],” also referred to as medical equipment.
The association said the investigation is looking into the following:
— The current and projected demand for medical equipment in the U.S.
— The extent to which medical equipment can meet domestic demand.
— The role of foreign supply chains, particularly of major exporters, in meeting demand for medical equipment.
— The feasibility of increasing domestic capacity for medical equipment.
— The impact of current trade policies on domestic production of medical equipment and whether additional measures, including tariffs or quotas, are necessary to protect national security.
— The potential for foreign control or exploitation of supply chains for medical equipment.
“This investigation could result in tariffs, quotas, or other trade restrictions as early as 2026, with the stated goal of reducing reliance on devices manufactured outside of the U.S. and foreign supply chains,” AAHomecare said. “It is critical for all HME suppliers, manufacturers and distributors to submit comments opposing these potential actions by the Friday, Oct. 17, comment deadline.”
AAHomecare suggested that commenters “tell the Department of Commerce what additional tariff costs for DME and supplies, potentially implemented as early as 2026, will mean for your business and the patients you serve. Sharing your direct experience and perspective on how tariff-driven product cost increases or reduced product availability will impact patients, caregivers and your business makes the best case.”
The association also shared a summary of the notice that appeared in the Federal Register. The webpage includes additional resources to support stakeholders wishing to make comments.
