AAHomecare, Manufacturers Discuss Potential Effects of Tariffs on HME
The American Association of Homecare (AAHomecare) reported hosting a call during the first week of December to address the possible effects that tariffs could have on home medical equipment coming from outside the United States.
“President-elect [Donald] Trump has signaled his interest in imposing new tariffs on products from Mexico, Canada and China in 2025,” a Dec. 4 AAHomecare bulletin said. “New tariffs on products from China would be particularly impactful on medical device and home medical equipment manufacturers, as many of these products or components for them are made there.”
Forty manufacturer stakeholders participated in the industry call “to discuss the potential impacts of new tariffs and how the HME community can respond,” the bulletin added.
AAHomecare pointed out that higher HME prices due to tariffs “may not be easily passed on by the industry to health-care consumers,” given that Medicare and other funding sources reimburse for HME at preset amounts, regardless of what providers must pay to purchase the products from manufacturers.
Nominations Open for Homecare Champion Award
The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) is accepting nominations for the Van G. Miller Homecare Champion Award. Nominees “must demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation and advocacy within the home medical equipment field” and can be “industry professionals, caregivers, advocates and others who have made a significant and lasting impact on the HME community.”
Nominees must also have an active AAHomecare membership and be actively engaged with the association.
Nominations are open till Jan. 17, 2025. Joel Marx, chairman of Medical Service Company, was the 2024 Homecare Champion.
The award is named after VGM & Associates founder Van. G. Miller.
