MIAMI — According to Barry Johnson, RCP, CRTT, owner of Dallas-based Texas Medical, the latest goals for the Accredited Medical Equipment Providers of America include helping to get more cosponsors for H.R. 1041 to repeal competitive bidding — and a congressional hearing on the program before Round 2 bidding begins.
"We have to gain a new hearing to expose the problems in Round 1 before the bidding process begins in the next 91 CBAs. In order to achieve that, we must gain at least 218 cosponsors on H.R.1041," said Johnson, the newly appointed president of the association. He replaces former provider and founding president Rob Brant, whose term has ended.
"We have strong numbers in Florida, Ohio, Pittsburgh and New York and smaller states such as Alabama, Iowa, Tennessee and West Virginia," he continued. "But in order to gain a national majority, we have to do better than one of 67 legislators in California, Oregon and Washington, and we have to do better than four of 32 in Texas."
Johnson said the bill needs more cosponsors, "and a great number are located on the West Coast."
Toward that end, in coordination with the California Association of Medical Product Services (CAMPS), AMEPA has scheduled eight meetings in the largest competitive bidding areas on the West Coast. The rallies begin today in San Diego and conclude July 29 in Seattle.
For a complete schedule of cities and dates, go to www.amepa.us.
Earlier this month, following a blitz of in-district meetings in the Chicago area coordinated by the Illinois Association for Medical Equipment Services (IAMES) and VGM, Reps. Judy Biggert, R-Ill., and Robert Dold, R-Ill., signed on to the repeal bill.
Industry associations are asking providers to keep up their efforts on the bill while members of Congress are in their home districts for the August recess.
"Begin making appointments or making plans to attend town hall meetings while they are home," VGM urged. "When talking to your legislators, continue to stress the need to repeal competitive bidding because of the ill effects the program has on jobs and beneficiary access! Ask your representative to sign on to H.R. 1041. If your representative has already signed on, ask that he/she contact your senators and urge them to support a companion bill."
As of Friday, H.R. 1041 had 138 cosponsors. Last week, H. D. Smith, one of the nation's largest pharmaceutical wholesalers, announced its support for the bill, stating that the bid program's "unclear standards have impacted negatively competition among home medical equipment suppliers."
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