WASHINGTON (Jan. 15, 2014)—Before a gathering of companies and associations representing DME providers, manufacturers and patients, Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) reaffirmed his commitment to fighting for a solution to Medicare’s badly designed bidding program.
In remarks at a policy briefing on the bidding program on Jan. 15, Price characterized the program as “not competitive at all; in fact, it's noncompetitive price fixing.” He further criticized the program as unresponsive to patient interests and as out of touch with what happens in the real world when it comes to caring for the elderly and people with disabilities. Price added, “Real people are getting hurt by this program: moms, dads and grandparents.”
Price asked attendees to continue to educate and mobilize their constituencies in support of H.R. 1717, and to also let members on the House Ways & Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee know that provisions addressing the bidding program should be included in upcoming legislation on Medicare physician payment rates (commonly known as the “doc fix”).
Price delivered his remarks at a policy briefing entitled Problems in Medicare’s Competitive Bidding Program and Real Marketplace Solutions, sponsored by Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, a national law firm that includes healthcare and Medicare-related issues among its practice specialties. Visit aahomecare.org.
