A bill that would bring funding relief to many home medical equipment (HME) providers has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
H.R. 2005, the DMEPOS [durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies] Relief Act of 2025, would provide “a 75/25 blended Medicare reimbursement rate for DMEPOs in non-rural/non-competitive bidding areas through the end of 2025,” the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) said in a March 11 announcement.
The bill would “direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for certain adjustments to Medicare payment for items of durable medical equipment that were formerly included in round 2021 of the DMEPOS competitive bid program.”
“Seeing this legislation quickly reintroduced in the early stages of the 119th Congress shows that our champions understand the need for restoring the 75/25 rate relief that expired at the end of 2023,” said Tom Ryan, AAHomecare president/CEO, in the announcement. “We have bipartisan support, co-sponsors from the committees of jurisdiction for health-care finance issues, and a passionate base of HME advocates who are ready to engage their legislators. It’s time to get to work!”
The bill’s current sponsors include House Energy & Commerce committee members Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), and Ways & Means committee members Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) and Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.).
H.R. 2005 will be a major talking point at AAHomecare’s legislative conference in May, Ryan added.
“The early introduction of H.R. 2005 allows us to build awareness and support for the bill in advance of our legislative conference in D.C. on May 12-13,” he said. “The timing for this bill couldn’t be better for us. HME advocates need to take advantage of this opportunity to engage their Representatives now, and again at our May event.”
The association is also urging stakeholders to ask their Representatives to support the new bill. Outreach resources are available on AAHomecare’s website.
