HME Advocate Schwarz Defeated in Michigan Primary

LANSING, Mich.–Michigan Rep. Joe Schwarz, considered a champion
for HME after authoring a bill to prevent home oxygen cuts, lost
his House seat in the state’s Republican primary last Tuesday.

After serving only one term in Congress, Schwarz was defeated by
opponent Tim Walberg, a minister, in Michigan’s 7th District.

Schwarz, an ear, nose and throat surgeon, was lauded by the
industry earlier this year for introducing the Home Oxygen Patient
Protection Act (H.R. 5513), a measure that would repeal the Deficit
Reduction Act’s requirement to cap oxygen rental at 36 months and
transfer equipment title to the beneficiary. The legislation has
gathered 48 co-sponsors in the House, and a companion bill, S.
3814, was recently introduced in the Senate (see HomeCare Monday, Aug. 7).

If the bill doesn’t move in this session of Congress, Schwarz
had vowed to introduce it again in the next. The oxygen bill “is
just one of those little pieces of good government that has to
happen,” he said in June at the American Association for Homecare
Washington Legislative Fly-in.

In its member newsletter last week, AAHomecare called Schwarz’s
defeat a “disappointment for home care.”

And in a message on The VGM Group’s Web site, John Gallagher,
vice president of government relations for the Waterloo, Iowa-based
buying group, said he believes Schwarz will continue to be a strong
advocate for the oxygen bill before his term concludes in December.
Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., another physician who co-authored the bill,
also will continue to work for its passage.

“There is a very strong lesson to be learned here by the HME
industry … we must not put all our hopes and fears on one
legislative champion. This reinforces the need for grassroots
efforts to build multiple champions for the industry,” Gallagher
said. “Politics is a very fickle partner; we need to ensure that we
build support with each member of Congress.”

In his re-election campaign, Schwarz was backed by President
Bush and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., but was considered a moderate
for his views on stem cell research and abortion.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Schwarz said
supporters suggested that he follow Connecticut Sen. Joe
Lieberman’s lead and run in the general election as an independent.
Schwarz told the newspaper the idea is “intriguing,” but said he is
not interested.

To view the text of H.R. 5513, click here.