Virtual Capitol Hill Conference set Feb. 16 in push to replace competitive bidding

The American Association for Homecare is hosting its annual Washington Legislative Conference Feb. 15 and 16, and participants will be visiting Capitol Hill to push for replacement of competitive bidding.

For those not attending, there is an alternative. The National Association of Independent Medical Equipment Suppliers (NAIMES) is encouraging HME advocates join in a Virtual Capitol Hill Conference by calling representatives and senators on Thursday, Feb. 16.

“Every call will make a greater difference than the one before it, so encourage your co-workers and family members to add their names to the list of informed, concerned citizens and make a call,’’ NAIMES said.

Here are instructions from NAIMES on how to participate:

• If you are going to DC, have your staff call their representative and senators while you are out of town.

• If you are not going, you and your staff should call your legislators.

• Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-2131 and tell them the legislators name and they will connect you.

• If you know your legislator, call their Washington office directly.

• If you don’t know your legislators name, go to congress.org and enter your Zip Code in the space at the top right of the screen for a list.

• When you get your legislators office, ask for the health legislative aide and share your message.  If the aide isn’t available, leave a message with another staff person.

• Once connected, identify yourself, your city and your state, and then cite points from this sample script:

o We have been providing DME services to Medicare beneficiaries for (number) years.

o Medicare competitive bidding for DME in its current form will prove harmful to the Medicare patients we serve, and (my/our) company by causing reducing beneficiary choice and access to home medical equipment items and services.

o Please support the repeal and replacement of DMEPOS Competitive Bidding with the industry supported Market Pricing Program.

o The current flawed CMS program is failing.

o Claims volume in the initial bid areas in Round 1 is down 60 to 80 percent due to reduced access to medical equipment suppliers.

o This resulted because more than 80 percent of accredited DME suppliers in these areas can no longer provided the competitively bid items and services.

o This reduced access to home medical equipment will cause more ER visits, hospital admissions, and longer hospital stays, actually increasing Medicare’s costs.

o The program is predicted to cause over 6000 DME companies to close and more than 80,000 Americans to lose their jobs.

o The Market Pricing Program will replace competitive bidding with a more sustainable program that will preserve beneficiary access to DME. It will be implemented on the same timeline as the current bidding program and include the same items and services, and it addresses flaws in the current bidding program.

o Please call your party’s leadership and ask that the Market Pricing Program be included in the Conference Committee’s pending legislation to address the payroll tax and physician payment issues.