The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee met this week to discuss a House health reform proposal that would eliminate the first-month purchase option for power wheelchairs.

The proposal could throw wheelchair providers into disarray given that the overwhelming majority of wheelchair patients opt for the purchase option, since their conditions are either long-term or lifelong.

The discussion draft of the legislation was first released on Friday by House Democrats. On Tuesday, the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee met to discuss the House health reform, which includes the first-month purchase option proposal, and yesterday the full Ways and Means and the Energy and Commerce Committees held hearings on health reform, as well. The Health Subcommittee meets again today to further discuss the proposal.

AAHomecare says that it expects cuts to other programs, such as oxygen therapy, will subsequently be incorporated into the bill in order to spread costs. The association urged providers to join their patients in contacting their Senators and Representatives to urge them to protect Medicare benefits such as the first-month purchase option.