Industry Steps Up Push for Hobson-Tanner Bill

Washington

Nearly five months after its introduction, a proposed bill that would make changes to the competitive bidding provision in the Medicare Modernization Act has picked up 55 co-sponsors. But according to Washington insiders, the Hobson-Tanner bill (H.R. 3559) needs nearly 150 additional names to catch Congress’ attention.

Supporters say the legislation, introduced this summer by Reps. David Hobson, R-Ohio, and John Tanner, D-Tenn., would help to protect small providers and ensure beneficiaries’ access to equipment when DME competitive bidding takes effect in 2007.

“If we can get 200 co-signers, I think there’s a very good chance we can get this bill passed,” said Wayne Grau, New England senior area manager for Exeter, Pa.-based Pride Mobility Products, who is leading a nationwide educational effort to drum up support for the legislation.

One of the reasons the bill has not gathered more co-signers, he said, is that the industry has been distracted by other recent issues such as changes to mobility policies and reimbursement cuts. “Look at all of the things that have come up in the past few months. A lot of people in the industry have put the bill on the back burner,” said Grau, who is also government relations chair for the New England Medical Equipment Dealers Association (NEMED). “I think people have lost a little focus.”

Grau has been traveling the country speaking to providers, state associations and representatives in an effort to bring the industry’s attention back to the bill. The goal is to gather 100 signatures — the number experts say is needed to get a companion bill introduced in the Senate — by mid-January and 200 by mid-February, Grau said.

One of the most important things providers can do, supporters say, is to educate their members of Congress.

The text of H.R. 3559 is available at http://thomas.loc.gov.

For a list of co-sponsors, visit www.aahomecare.org.