AMEPA Sets West Coast Goals on H.R. 1041

MIAMI — According to Barry Johnson, RCP, CRTT, owner of
Dallas-based Texas Medical, the latest goals for the Accredited
Medical Equipment Providers of America include helping to get more
cosponsors for H.R. 1041 to repeal competitive bidding — and
a congressional hearing on the program before Round 2 bidding
begins.

“We have to gain a new hearing to expose the problems in Round 1
before the bidding process begins in the next 91 CBAs. In order to
achieve that, we must gain at least 218 cosponsors on H.R.1041,”
said Johnson, the newly appointed president of the association. He
replaces former provider and founding president Rob Brant, whose
term has ended.

“We have strong numbers in Florida, Ohio, Pittsburgh and New
York and smaller states such as Alabama, Iowa, Tennessee and West
Virginia,” he continued. “But in order to gain a national majority,
we have to do better than one of 67 legislators in California,
Oregon and Washington, and we have to do better than four of 32 in
Texas.”

Johnson said the bill needs more cosponsors, “and a great number
are located on the West Coast.”

Toward that end, in coordination with the California Association
of Medical Product Services (CAMPS), AMEPA has scheduled eight
meetings in the largest competitive bidding areas on the West
Coast. The rallies begin today in San Diego and conclude July 29 in
Seattle.

For a complete schedule of cities and dates, go to www.amepa.us.

Earlier this month, following a blitz of in-district meetings in
the Chicago area coordinated by the Illinois Association for
Medical Equipment Services (IAMES) and VGM, Reps. Judy Biggert,
R-Ill., and Robert Dold, R-Ill., signed on to the repeal bill.

Industry associations are asking providers to keep up their
efforts on the bill while members of Congress are in their home
districts for the August recess.

“Begin making appointments or making plans to attend town hall
meetings while they are home,” VGM urged. “When talking to your
legislators, continue to stress the need to repeal competitive
bidding because of the ill effects the program has on jobs and
beneficiary access! Ask your representative to sign on to H.R.
1041. If your representative has already signed on, ask that he/she
contact your senators and urge them to support a companion
bill.”

As of Friday, H.R. 1041 had 138 cosponsors. Last week, H. D.
Smith, one of the nation’s largest pharmaceutical wholesalers,
announced its support for the bill, stating that the bid program’s
“unclear standards have impacted negatively competition among home
medical equipment suppliers.”

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