WASHINGTON — Some 200 home care advocates are massing on Capitol Hill today to urge members of Congress to repeal the 36-month oxygen rental cap and permanently table competitive bidding.
Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., a former home medical equipment provider himself, kicked off the American Association for Homecare's Washington fly-in this morning by giving attendees a blueprint for talking to his congressional peers.
"In your meetings with members and their staff, you need to start by explaining the critical role you provide to your patients," Ross told participants before they left to take their message to legislators. "You need to reiterate that you provide far more valuable services than just equipment. You educate patients on the proper use of their equipment and answer their questions. You make repairs and adjustments, and ensure that patients are receiving the prescribed amount of oxygen.
"You need to emphasize that for many of your patients, you are one of the primary points of contact and that you take calls at all hours and in rural areas drive long distances to make sure that your patients receive the care they need," he added.
A member of the Energy and Commerce and Health subcommittees, Ross said he understood the industry's need for urgency in getting the cap repealed and dealing with competitive bidding.
But he cautioned that the current "pay as you go" atmosphere, which demands that the cost of reforms and changes be offset with spending cuts or tax increases elsewhere in the federal system, slows down congressional action.
"As much as you need those immediate changes," he said, "the tough reality is that Congress will be working on a longer timeline in preparation of health reform and ways to pay for it."
He gave attendees a glimmer of hope, however: "You are in an ideal position today to not only educate members of Congress but to also lobby them to move more quickly in addressing these problems."
One of the key means to action, he said, is encouraging legislators to sign on to the "Dear Colleague" letter from Ross, and Reps. Tom Price, R-Ga., Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., and Heath Shuler, D-N.C. Crafted with the aid of AAHomecare, the letter asks members of the powerful Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees, as well the top leaders in the House of Representatives, to urge CMS to provide appropriate payments for home oxygen therapy throughout the period of the patient's medical need. (See "Price Asks House Colleagues to Act on Oxygen Payments," Feb. 10)
Ross also said fly-in participants should lobby for Congress to suspend the Medicare competitive bidding program.
"Congress should exercise oversight of CMS and examine the process by which CMS issued the interim final rule and urge the administration to rescind the rule," he said.