WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Commerce has formally initiated a Section 232 National Security Investigation into imports of medical equipment, devices, and consumables. This sweeping review covers a wide range of products, including wheelchairs, hospital beds, portable oxygen concentrators, blood glucose monitors, IV bags, catheters, and other durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies.

The investigation could result in tariffs, quotas, or other trade restrictions as early as 2026, with the stated goal of reducing reliance on devices manufactured outside of the U.S. and foreign supply chains. It is important for all manufacturers and distributors to submit comments opposing these potential actions.

Federal Notice Details
Federal Register Notice, September 26, 2025 — 90 Fed. Reg. 46383 (pdf)
Comment Deadline: Friday, October 17, 2025
Refer to the following in your comments: Docket: BIS-2025-0258 – see Regulations.gov listing and comment here.

The Department is specifically requesting input on:
• S. demand for medical equipment and consumables
• Domestic production capacity vs. reliance on imports
• Potential impacts of tariffs or quotas on patients, providers, and manufacturers
• The potential for foreign control or exploitation/weaponization of supply chains for DME, supplies, and related products.

Action Needed
AAHomecare strongly supports exclusion of home medical equipment and supplies from any Section 232 trade actions, and urges all DME stakeholders, including manufacturers, distributors, and supply chain partners to:

• Submit Comments by October 17, 2025.
• Engage Your Networks – Encourage downstream partners and patient groups to weigh in, underscoring the real-world consequences of restricting HME imports.

Key Messages

• HME is essential for patient care in the home setting and plays a critical role in reducing hospitalizations and overall healthcare costs.
• The sector already faces Medicare reimbursement pressures and supply chain vulnerabilities. Additional tariffs would further destabilize access for millions of patients.
• Many HME products are not manufactured at scale in the U.S., making tariffs punitive rather than protective.
• Your own perspective on how tariffs or other trade restrictions will impact your business and the patients, clinicians, and caregivers you support.

AAHomecare will provide additional messaging for your comments and talking points for outreach to other policymakers, as well as ongoing updates as the investigation progresses. Contact Stephanie Legree at [email protected] with any questions.

You can see information on other Section 232 Investigations initiated in 2025 here. Together, we must ensure that home medical equipment and supplies are excluded from Section 232 trade actions. Protecting patient access and industry stability depends on strong, coordinated advocacy that leverages our industry’s first hand experience and passion for high-quality, home-based care.