AAHomecare: Get Patients to Support H.R. 3790

ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Association for Homecare has
developed a letter for providers to use in explaining the national competitive bidding
program for DMEPOS to patients and their families.

“The goal is to have the end-users of home care contact their
members of Congress to get them to cosponsor H.R. 3790 [to repeal
competitive bidding],” the association said in a Friday update.
“This new letter from providers to Medicare beneficiaries details
how the bidding program could reduce access to quality home care
supplies and services.”

According to the letter, “Because the program reduces the number
of equipment providers and encourages rock-bottom reimbursement
rates, we believe this program will make it harder for you, as
Medicare beneficiaries to receive the medical equipment, supplies,
and services you need.”

As it is currently designed, the letter explains, the bid
program:

• Reduces the number of quality home care providers you can choose
  from to obtain medically necessary home medical equipment;

• Selects only a small number of home care providers on the basis
  of price rather than quality of care; and

• Forces many Medicare beneficiaries to obtain equipment, supplies
  and services from unfamiliar providers who may have no prior
  experience providing the items and services you depend on.

View a copy of the letter at the AAHomecare Action
Center.

“Encourage your patients to contact their local and national
consumer advocacy groups for general consumer education and
advocacy support,” AAHomecare urged.

View more competitive bidding
stories.