The American Association for Homecare reports that Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) is working with Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) to develop legislation that would provide relief to rural and non-bid areas that had been impacted by the national expansion of competitive bidding, as well as rectify the “double-dip” cuts on oxygen.
The legislation has two key thrusts:
- It would effectively roll back the second round of cuts for non-bid area suppliers, effective retroactively to January 1, 2017 and through 2018.
- It would address rate cuts caused by the misapplication of a 2006 budget neutrality offset balancing increased utilization for oxygen generating portable equipment with lower reimbursement for stationary equipment.
Rep. McMorris Rodgers intends to introduce the bill in the first week of November and has asked AAHomecare and other HME industry advocates to lobby lawmakers in order to attract a large number of original co-sponsors for the bill. To that end, congressional offices interested in signing on the bill can contact Rep. McMorris Rodgers’ staff for more information
AAHomecare is providing Issue briefs to help provider advocates in their conversations with lawmakers and staff. Available at aahomecare.org, the briefs address the two different components of the bill — rural relief and double-dip — but point to the singular bill as the mechanism for reform.
