The 762-page home health final rule — released on Nov. 28 by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — sparked prompt responses from the home medical equipment (HME) industry, despite the Thanksgiving holiday timing.
Here are initial reactions from HME leaders and subject matter experts.
AAHomecare: This is regression
The 2026 DMEPOS/home health final rule is a direct threat to patients and providers. By reviving the competitive bidding program without important guardrails established under the previous Trump administration and expanding the program to include diabetes equipment, as well as ostomy, urological, and tracheostomy supplies, CMS is setting the stage for more stress on the home medical equipment sector.
Smaller, community-based suppliers will be hit particularly hard, and many patients and family caregivers will lose access to highly experienced and trusted partners who have been providing their care.
A new bidding round without a fair bid-setting mechanism is sure to produce rates that force suppliers to use cheaper, lower-quality products and leave patients with fewer choices. The end result will be higher costs to the Medicare program thanks to increased ER visits and hospitalizations, and more strain on caregivers.
This is not reform, it’s regression.
Tom Ryan, president/CEO
American Association for Homecare
Supporting better patient outcomes
We support efforts to protect the Medicare trust fund and lower out-of-pocket costs for patients, and we support CMS’s ongoing commitment to improving the program’s integrity. At the same time, we remain focused on ensuring that patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes — as well as those who rely on ostomy and urological supplies — continue to have access to the latest clinically proven technologies that meet their medical needs.
With respect to diabetes supplies, it is well documented that patients who have access to CGMs [continuous glucose monitors] and sensors, paired with appropriate clinical care, have far better health outcomes than patients who don’t.
AdvaMed also strongly opposes the inclusion of ostomy and urological supplies in the competitive bidding program. These products are prosthetic devices, not durable medical equipment, and fall outside CMS’s statutory authority for competitive bidding. They are highly individualized, and disruptions in access could lead to serious medical complications and costly hospitalizations.
Scott Whitaker, president/CEO
AdvaMed
A catalyst for accelerating technology and innovation
This rule largely reflects the provisions outlined in the proposed rule and introduces significant changes that will reshape the DMEPOS landscape. The timing of this release — just days after the Office of Inspector General (OIG) report recommending cost reductions for continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and related supplies — appears strategically rather than coincidentally.
While CMS’s objective to strengthen program integrity and reduce Medicare expenditure is laudable, the cumulative impact of these provisions may inadvertently compromise beneficiary access and supplier viability, potentially resulting in higher overall program cost.
Although stakeholder comments on the proposed rule did not achieve the intended outcome, it remains essential that we continue to engage actively and maintain unwavering commitment to advocacy on behalf of providers and the patients they serve.
In addition, we must adopt a proactive posture by recommending effective strategies to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within our industry and by responding promptly and constructively when CMS solicits feedback.
While it is clear that some suppliers will face significant challenges in overcoming these hurdles — and some may ultimately be forced to exit the industry — I remain optimistic that the sector will evolve through improved operational efficiencies and continued diversification in both product offerings and payer relationships.
These changes may serve as a catalyst for accelerating technological innovation and automation, complemented by strategic human oversight. In the words of Winston Churchill, “The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
Noel Neil, JM, CDME, chief compliance officer
ACU-Serve
Accreditation changes ahead
We are waiting for CMS to give guidance for implementation specifics.
The Compliance Team (TCT) is the only accreditation organization who specifically designed and implemented an annual, CMS-approved DMEPOS accreditation program that for over 14 years helped providers stay compliant. … Our team at TCT is prepared starting on day one to support our current providers and those transitioning to TCT with an annual DMEPOS accreditation program.
Sandra Canally, RN, founder/CEO
The Compliance Team
This final rule has generated more questions and concerns than it answers. Given the tremendous volume of comments that were submitted when these changes were presented as a proposed final rule, we were quite surprised to see it released in this largely unchanged form.
ACHC is continuing to seek needed clarification from CMS to guide accredited organizations in maintaining compliance while continuing to meet the needs of the patients they serve.
José Domingos, president/CEO
Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC)
Supplies added to competitive bidding list
United Ostomy Associations of America is deeply concerned about this ruling’s potential long-term impact on our communities’ access and safety. We remain steadfast in our argument that ostomy and urological supplies are prosthetic devices and not one-size-fits-all medical equipment suitable for competitive bidding.
We hope to work closely with CMS to find a positive solution.
Cheryl Ory, president
United Ostomy Associations of America
The final rule is consistent with the draft CMS proposal on DMEPOS announced on 30 June 2025. At our H1 25 results, we gave guidance on the potential impact of CBP and this remains unchanged.
Convatec is well-placed to compete and grow under these rules. We are a leading, fully integrated developer, manufacturer and service provider of intermittent catheters and ostomy products, with excellent customer service and loyalty, and an innovative, growing and differentiated product portfolio.
Convatec press release
Dec. 1, 2025
