Tuesday, April 21, 2009

WASHINGTON--In a 15-8 vote this morning, the Senate Finance Committee approved Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as secretary of Health and Human Services.

A vote in the full Senate, which must confirm the nomination, is expected later this week.

As far as some HME advocates are concerned, Sebelius’ confirmation can’t come soon enough--and, in fact, didn’t. In testimony before the Finance Committee, Sebelius said she would review comments about Medicare’s DMEPOS competitive bidding program, delayed by Congress last July.

“The administration extended the comment period for CMS’ recent competitive bidding rule to ensure that all stakeholders have an opportunity to review CMS’ proposed policies,” Sebelius told the committee, adding that if she were confirmed, the comments would be “reviewed very carefully in order to implement the policies fairly.”

But Sebelius’ confirmation was postponed earlier this month after revelations of tax errors and campaign donations from a Kansas abortion provider. CMS subsequently re-started the controversial bidding program with an interim final rule that took effect Saturday. On Friday, the agency refused to delay or rescind the rule.

If Sebelius is confirmed, according to Cara Bachenheimer, senior vice president of government relations for Invacare, Elyria, Ohio,
“it’s going to be our job to pressure them to look at this program and do what a lot of members of Congress are asking [to suspend the rule].”