AAHomecare to Focus on Small Provider Issues Under NCB

Washington

The American Association for Homecare recently formed a committee to focus on issues that will affect small providers under national competitive bidding. The association has argued that any qualified provider should be able to compete in the bid process and that “CMS should not limit the number of providers if they can meet prescribed prices and quality standards.”

“We’re looking to use this as a grassroots group [to influence change on the policy],” said AAHomecare Chair Tom Ryan. According to Ryan, the committee will work with the association’s regulatory, legislative policy and executive committees, as well as with the government’s Program Advisory and Oversight Committee — a panel charged with advising CMS on implementing the bidding program.

Members of the AAHomecare committee include: Ryan, president and CEO, Homecare Concepts; Kay Cox, president and CEO, AAHomecare; Ray Darcey, AAHomecare vice chair and vice president, Sentara Enterprises; Asela Cuervo, attorney and AAHomecare consultant; Karyn Estrella, executive director, New England Medical Equipment Dealers Association; Jeff Wills, CFO, Canadian Valley Medical Solutions; George Kucka, president, Fair Meadows Home Health; James Clark, president, Clark Respiratory; Tim Pederson, president and CEO, WestMed Rehab; John Gallagher, vice president, government relations, The VGM Group; Jeff Woodham, vice president, information, The Med Group; Wallace Weeks, president, The Weeks Group; and Georgetta Blackburn, director of compliance, Blackburn’s Physicians Pharmacy.