Complete Story
 

11/16/2022

Ask Your Legislators to Support Medicare Reimbursement Relief in Year-End Omnibus Legislation

Important Message from AAHomecare

 

As the dust settles from last week’s mid-term elections, Congress is turning its attention to crafting a year-end omnibus bill which will include language to extend the debt ceiling and keep the government funded.

As leadership on key committees of jurisdictions negotiate on what measures to include in omnibus legislation, it is critical that the HME community make its collective voice heard in support of reimbursement relief in former CBAs and in non-rural, non-CB areas that reflects the market reality for suppliers.

There is always a great deal of advocacy from almost every segment of the business and financial sector to see their interests represented in year-end legislation, and our sources on the Hill tell us that this is expected to be a narrower-than-usual package -- so it is imperative that we make a strong impression on legislators as negotiations begin.

To that end, please reach out to healthcare staffers for your Senate and House members with this ask:

Please support Medicare reimbursement relief for DME suppliers that reflects the increased costs for products, shipping, labor, local delivery/gas, personal protective equipment, and other rising costs associated with serving patients who depend on high-quality, home-based care. Specifically, I ask that you support including these measures in year-end legislative packages:

DME rates have not received a meaningful adjustment since 2016, thanks to CMS’ decision not to not move forward with results from the latest CB round because results from the bidding process “did not achieve expected savings." Please support these measures to give DME suppliers Medicare reimbursement rates that reflect the market and cost environment facing them. This long-overdue relief is critically needed to effectively serve patients in our community.

You are encouraged to adapt this message in your own words, and to include your perspectives, experiences, and challenges. Please email Gordon Barnes at gordonb@aahomecare.org if you need contact information for healthcare staff for your representatives in the Senate and House and for any other assistance with your message.  I

If you were part of our virtual legislative conference in September, please follow up with the offices/staffers you met with.

If your legislators are members of the Senate Finance Committee, House Energy and Commerce Committee, or House Ways and Means Committee, your outreach is especially needed.

For additional perspective, please see related issue briefs on:

Printer-Friendly Version