Congress Asks OMB to Clear Final Rule

Washington, D.C. (October 2, 2017)—Nearly one-fourth of the members of the U.S. House of Representatives have asked the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) to clear an HME-related Interim Final Rule (IFR) currently under review at OMB. The IFR, titled “Durable Medical Equipment Fee Schedule, Adjustments to Resume the Transitional 50/50 Blended Rates to Provide Relief in Non-Competitive Bidding Areas” has been at OMB since late August.

See the final copy of the letter with signatures and full list of Congressional signees.

“This is an unmistakable signal of bipartisan Congressional support for clearing this rule and providing additional relief for suppliers in rural areas,” said Tom Ryan, president and CEO of the American Association for Homecare.  “This is a remarkable showing when you take into account that this letter was only open for eight days.”

“We appreciate the continued leadership of  Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) in advocating for sustainable Medicare reimbursement policy for home medical equipment” added Ryan. “The strong response from her colleagues on Capitol Hill is a testament to her credibility and passion for making sure that patients in rural America continue to have access to HME products and services.”

“I’d also like to thank the HME community for rallying support for this letter,” Ryan said. “AAHomecare members and other HME stakeholders have been persistent and effective in their efforts to educate their Representatives on rural relief, and the results are showing.”

Visit aahomecare.org for more information.