Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.) introduced a H.R. 3790, which calls for the repeal of CMS’s competitive bidding program for DMEPOS.
The bill, co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 16 House members would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal CMS’s competitive bidding program. The bill would do so via a “budget neutral” stance by cutting reimbursements to home medical equipment providers in order to pay for the savings the bid program had been projected to save. However, at the same time, the Meek bill would help HME providers continue to bill Medicare, rather than get outbid and potentially go out of business.
The full text of the bill can be read at:
http://aahomecare.org/associations/3208/files/HR%203790%20Meek%20Competitive%20Bidding%20Repeal%20Bill%20Text%20101309.pdf
The bill’s co-sponsors included Jason Altmire (D-Pa.), John Boccieri (D-Ohio), Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.), Sam Farr (D-Calif.), Marcia L. Fudge (D-Ohio), Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Tex.), Ron Klein (D-Fla.), Dan Maffei (D-N.Y.), John Murtha (D-Pa.), Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), Patrick Tiberi (R-Ohio), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), and Robert Wexler (D-Fla.).
Various organizations worked to develop the legislation and secure its co-sponsors, including, the American Association for Homecare, the National Association of Independent Medical Equipment Suppliers, the Pennsylvania Association Of Medical Equipment Suppliers, the California Association of Medical Product Suppliers, Florida Alliance of Home Care Services, Midwest Association for Medical Equipment Services, New York Medical Equipment Providers Association, North Carolina Association for Medical Equipment Services, Ohio Association of Medical Equipment Services, and the Texas Alliance of Home Care Services, as well as the VGM Group
“We understand the need to control costs in Medicare and the home medical equipment sector has seen more than its share of reimbursement cuts over the past 10 years,” said Tyler Wilson, president of AAHomecare. “However, this bidding program is designed to put most of the nation’s home medical equipment providers out of business even if they agree to new, lower reimbursement rates.”
Both AAHomecare and NAIMES called on providers to immediately contact their Representatives and call on them to co-sponsor H.R. 3790.
