CMS’s new Program Advisory and Oversight Committee (PAOC) will be sworn in and meet on June 4 in Baltimore, Md. for the first time since CMS issued its interim final rule to begin rebidding round one of competitive bidding.

The committee is designed to advise CMS on the competitive bidding program. MIPPA extended the PAOC for two years, through Dec. 31 2011, so CMS created a new membership for the board.

The board includes various industry representatives, including Walter Gorski, AAHomecare’s lobbyist and vice president for Government Affairs.

“Because of the expertise represented on the PAOC, it should be an influential voice in shaping the bidding program,” said AAHomecare President Tyler Wilson. “We hope that CMS and the Obama administration will listen to the advice and suggestions of the PAOC. We recommend that HME stakeholders monitor these meetings, and some participants at our June Legislative Conference may want to stay in the area extra day to attend the PAOC.”

The PAOC’s full membership roster:

 

Peter Amico  

President  

Prime Care Medical Supplies Inc.

 

Kendra Betz  

Prosthetics Clinical Coordinator

Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service   

Department of Veterans Affairs

 

Richard Boulger  

Director, Business Solutions Center

University of Iowa

 

Dr. Doran Edwards  

Chief Operating Officer

Advanced Healthcare Consulting, LLC

 

Dr. Sue EIHessen  

Consultant/Professor/Trainer

American with Disabilities Act (ADA)  

Careers Unlimited Inc.

 

Joseph F. Furlong III

President/CEO

American HomePatient

 

Walter Gorski  

Vice President Government Affairs

American Association for HomeCare

 

Rita Hostak  

Vice President, Government Relations

Sunrise Medical, Inc.

 

Thomas J. Jeffers  

Vice President Government Affairs

Hill-Rom, Inc.

 

Ruben J. King-Shaw, Jr.

Chairman/CEO  

All-Med Services of Florida, Inc and

Clinical Medical Services, Inc. Puerto Rico

 

Ann Kohler

Executive Director

National Association of State Medicaid Directors

 

Jeffrey Mansell

Compliance Officer

Drugs and Medical Devices Group

Texas Department of State Health Services

 

Dr. Sharad Mansukani  

Chief Strategic Officer

NationsHealth Inc.

 

Thomas Milam  

General Manager/Chief Operating Officer

AmMed Direct, LLC

 

Barbara Rogers  

President/CEO

National Emphysema/

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Association

 

Esta E. Willman  

Owner/Chief Executive Officer

Medi-Source Equipment & Supply

 

Dr. Debra Zak  

Executive Director, Home Care Accreditation Programs

The Joint Commission