AAHC Survey Aims to Capture Increased Costs of Providing HME

As cost pressures continue to impact the home medical equipment (HME) community, AAHomecare is launching a nationwide survey to gather intel on the rising costs of products, shipping and labor for those providing home oxygen equipment, CPAP devices and/or hospital beds to end users; aggregated information will be used in advocacy efforts. 

Suppliers who provide any of these product categories should take this survey by Friday, 9/8.

Insights from the survey will be used on Capitol Hill to build support for continuing Medicare 75/25 rate relief for non-bid, non-rural areas that are due to take a 32% cut on Jan. 1 and to secure 90/10 blended rate relief for former CBAs. Intel will also be instrumental in payer advocacy efforts across the country as well.

“The HME community has been operating under constrained reimbursement pressures that were exacerbated by the pandemic and continue past the PHE,” remarks Tom Ryan, AAHomecare president and CEO.

“This survey provides critical data to quantify the operational pressures of HME suppliers and will aid our efforts to secure meaningful relief. We’ve already experienced a massive 36% Industry reduction over the last 10 years, and immediate reimbursement action is needed to ensure that HME companies have the financial solvency to continue meeting their communities’ needs. We encourage all HME suppliers across the country to participate in this important survey initiative.”

The survey is available here.

The latest AAHomecare survey builds upon the momentum from its previous disposable supplies surveys which resulted in infographics for enteral nutrition, ostomy/urologicals and woundcare that companies are using in their individual payer contract negotiations including MCOs, commercial plans and others. 

For additional information on the survey and/or ways to support industry advocacy efforts, contact Ashley Plauché, senior director of brand marketing at [email protected].