CMS Considers Adding Ventilators to Competitive Bidding Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 15, 2018)—CMS is soliciting comments on adding ventilators and back/knee braces to the product categories included in the next round of the bidding program. MedPAC had identified ventilators among items with comparatively high Medicare reimbursement rates versus private payer rates in their 2018 Report to Congress (see p. 150).

The prospect of adding ventilators to the bidding program should worry patients who depend on these highly specialized and service-intensive products, as well as clinicians and other caregivers who support this often-vulnerable patient population. The relatively small number of suppliers furnishing ventilators and the potential for severe harm to patients if access is further diminished makes ventilators a bad fit for the bidding program.

AAHomecare will strongly encourage CMS not to add ventilators to the bidding program and will be working to ensure that other respiratory and relevant patient groups are also aware of this issue.

Find more information on the proposed HCPCS codes affected and how to comment here. Comments are due by 11:59 pm (ET) on Monday, December 3.

Visit aahomecare.org and dmecbpeducation.com for more information.