Not in D.C.? Contact Your Legislators Anyway

WASHINGTON–Even if you aren’t able to participate in the
American Association for Homecare’s Legislative Conference,
you can still make your voice heard.
 
The three-day conference, which ends today, is sending about 250
participants to Capitol Hill to lobby on behalf of the home medical
equipment industry. The National Association of Independent Medical
Equipment Suppliers and HME service group VGM are encouraging HME
providers who were unable to attend the event to contact their
legislators and talk to them about the potential devastating
effects of competitive bidding, the crippling effects of the oxygen
rental cap and the need for oxygen reform.
 
“If you are not traveling to D.C. this week, please be sure
that you are contacting your representative and senators to push
[oxygen cap repeal bill] H.R. 2373 (to your representatives) and to
get language to eliminate competitive bidding included in the
health care reform package,” VGM urged on its Web site.
“As Congress begins its summer schedule with a ‘must
pass’ health care overhaul effort, we have merely weeks-not
months-to get this effort accomplished!”
 
“The key issues … are the repeal of the oxygen cap and
ending competitive bidding,” said Wayne Stanfield, president
and chief executive officer of NAIMES. “NAIMES supports H.R.
2373, the HOPP Act, to repeal the oxygen cap. When you call your
representatives, tell them your own personal stories of how the cap
has adversely affected your patients.”
 
As of today, the HOPP Act has 20 cosponsors. Stakeholders have said
more than 220 cosponsors are needed to move the bill forward.
 
NAIMES supports ending competitive bidding, Stanfield said, and
while no bill currently exists, “we must continue to ask for
repeal of the program,” he said, adding that providers must
urge Congress to take action to end the program.
 
Stanfield said providers should also champion the plan to ask
Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Health and Human
Services, to use her authority to allow “any willing
provider” to participate in competitive bidding should the
latter program be implemented.
 
“We feel that this will allow providers to still participate
regardless of bidding or winning, and will stop providers from
being excluded from the program,” Stanfield said. “This
is a regulatory path that will preserve patient choice and does not
mean that NAIMES and other stakeholders are abandoning efforts to
repeal the program.”
 
To contact your representative and two senators representing your
state, call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202/224-3121. The
switchboard operator will connect you to your legislator’s
office by using your ZIP Code.
 
Talking points on each issue are available at the NAIMES Web site.