Medtrade Sees Continued Call for Action

Las Vegas

The storm clouds that hovered above the Las Vegas Convention Center for much of last month’s Medtrade Spring may have seemed a fitting symbol of the HME industry’s current climate.

But neither the inclement weather nor the turbulence created by recent legislative setbacks kept providers from making a strong showing at the trade show, held March 21-23.

In all, the show’s educational conference attendance was up by 20 percent over last year’s, according to VNU’s Art Ellis, Medtrade director.

With every seat taken, providers lined the walls at the American Association for Homecare’s “Washington Update” as association Chair Tom Ryan took the opportunity to deliver a rallying call.

“We’re in the battle of our lives, ladies and gentlemen,” Ryan said. “The battle’s going to get tougher, and without your support we’re not going to win it.”

In an industry reeling from unexpected reimbursement cuts in the Deficit Reduction Act, the specter of competitive bidding still looms on the horizon.

But reminding providers that the DRA was passed by the narrowest of margins, Ryan praised them for their efforts in fighting the legislation and stressed the importance of patient involvement in that and future campaigns.

“We got the patients involved, finally,” Ryan said. “And because we got the patients involved, what happened up on the Hill? We finally were heard.”

In addition, Ryan urged providers to help obtain co-sponsors for the Hobson-Tanner bill (H.R. 3559), which would change the Medicare Modernization Act’s competitive bidding provision to ease some of its effects and ensure beneficiary access.

“We need at least 200 [co-sponsors], but we’re getting there. And we’ll get there … but we can’t do it without the help of people in this room,” Ryan said.

Ryan also said AAHomecare is working with two executive search firms to replace former CEO Kay Cox, who stepped down in February. The association hopes to have a new CEO in place by June.

Declaring his personal commitment to the home care industry, Ryan mentioned his 30 years of involvement in HME and said, “I’ll be damned before I continue if I’m going to see this turn into a commodity industry. Not on my watch.”