Forty-Two Groups Sign On to Support H.R. 3790

WASHINGTON — Yesterday the American Association for
Homecare delivered a letter signed by 42 additional organizations
to Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Fla., in what it described as an
“overwhelming” show of support for H.R. 3790. Meek introduced the
bill to stop
competitive bidding in mid-October.

Signatories on the letter, coordinated by AAHomecare, include
the American Association of People with Disabilities, ALS
Association, Muscular Dystrophy Association, University of
Pittsburgh Medical Center, state and regional associations
representing more than 35 states and other clinical, consumer and
health care organizations.

According to the letter:

“The competitive
bidding program is problematic for Medicare beneficiaries in
need of home care and for the providers of home medical equipment
and services who serve the elderly and people with disabilities.
The program will jeopardize beneficiaries’ access to care and
ultimately the quality of care those beneficiaries receive. Bidding
will also result in tremendous economic hardship on the community
of home care providers. Everyone who works closely with providers
and patients, such as physicians, clinicians and hospital case
managers, will also find the bidding program a disruptive and
difficult arrangement that offers little in the way of
benefit.

“The elimination of competitive bidding will allow home care
providers to continue to offer the same high-quality service and
equipment to Medicare beneficiaries that they have become
accustomed to receiving. Moreover, home care providers will be able
to maintain their critical role in reducing the nation’s health
care costs by allowing beneficiaries to stay in their homes with
the products and services on which they depend.”

Read the letter in full and see the list of signatories on the
AAHomecare Web
site.

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stories.