The clock is ticking: Congress must pass legislation to extend the Federal debt ceiling by Dec. 16 in order to avoid a government shutdown (although some observers have noted that a short-term extension to Dec. 23 to allow more time for negotiations could be in the cards).
As always, there is intense competition from the full spectrum of business and non-profit groups to include funding for their policy priorities in the omnibus bill. Our lobbying team is working hard to keep HME Medicare reimbursement policy in the conversation with members of Congress and staff on key committees of jurisdiction.
Your direct outreach to your representatives in the House and Senate remains critically important to underpin this effort. If you have not contacted your legislators on this issue in recent weeks, the time for action is now! Suggested messaging and related materials for asking your legislators to support a 90/10 blended rate in CBAs and to extend the 75/25 rate relief for non-CBA suppliers granted in the CARES Act can be found in our Nov. 15 Alert.
Direct email and personalized outreach to healthcare staffers (especially staff that you met with as part of our Virtual Legislative Conference in September) is the most effective way to make a strong impression. You can also encourage your colleagues and other contacts to send a pre-drafted message to their legislators using our new Voter Voice grassroots advocacy site – see and share that message here.
PAYGO Cuts Remain on the Forefront for a Broad Range of Healthcare Groups
AAHomecare has been a part of coalition efforts to prevent the application of “pay-as-you-go” (PAYGO) legislation enacted in 2010 to limit Federal deficit spending that would result in across-the-board 4% Medicare cuts in 2023 for a broad range of healthcare providers, including hospitals, physicians, and HME. Over the past year, AAHomecare members and other HME stakeholders have sent nearly 7,000 emails to Congress on the issue.
Feel free to add this message to your emails to your legislators’ healthcare staffers: Please also include provisions to prevent the 4% Medicare PAYGO cuts in the omnibus bill. We’ve also included that ask in the Voter Voice message noted above.
Time For Action! Every Message Helps!
If you haven’t weighed in with your legislators this month (or if you would like to reinforce any recent messages you’ve sent), please take action now! Contact Gordon Barnes at gordonb@aahomecare.org for contact info and any other assistance to help you develop and deliver your message.
** If you have any questions for the OAMES office on these federal initiatives, contact executive director Kam Yuricich at kam@oames.org.