WASHINGTON, D.C – Reps. Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-NC) and Brad Schneider (D-IL) introduced legislation earlier this month to pause the inclusion of ostomy and urological supplies in the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program for five years.
Stephen Sear (pictured), manager at Mark Drug Medical Supply in Wheeling, Illinois, applauded the legislators, as well as AAHomecare’s efforts to advance the bill. Sear and Mark Drug colleagues met with Rep. Schneider last week to discuss how competitive bidding could affect access to ostomy and urological supplies, while also making it clear that it would be hard on local suppliers.
“A five-year delay would be a significant first step toward protecting patient choice and access to local providers—especially when someone urgently needs supplies or help with a product issue,” Sear says. “Every supplier, patient, caregiver, and advocate needs to contact their representative, ask him or her to cosponsor and support H.R. 10787, and explain what losing access to a trusted supplier would mean in their own community. We need to turn this encouraging first step into legislation that protects patients.”
With roughly 50% of Mark Drug Medical Supply’s revenue wrapped up in ostomy and urological supplies, competitive bidding would have a dramatic effect on the business and its 17 employees. “These things also tend to have a trickle-down effect where lower rates trickle down to private insurers and Medicaid plans,” Sear adds. “So even if rates are not cut immediately, there’s going to be an effect on even the non-Medicare population.”
The proposed pause in H.R. 10787 would give CMS, with input from stakeholders, time to fully analyze how the change would affect patients. The Access to Medical Supplies Act also creates a technical expert panel to study the impact of adding these supplies to the program and directs a demonstration project to test the effects before CMS makes a final call.
AAHomecare has met with CMS and White House officials to warn that including ostomy and urological supplies as national remote item delivery (RID) items in the Round 2028 DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program could harm patient access to medically necessary supplies.
“Before CMS enacts a program that reshapes how patients receive highly personalized medical supplies, it should understand exactly what is at stake,” said Tom Ryan, president and CEO of AAHomecare. “Reps. Murphy and Schneider’s bipartisan bill allows CMS to study the impact, test it, and hear from patients and providers before making changes that could disrupt access. We urge every member of Congress to support.”
Ryan and AAHomecare officials are urging providers to call their member of Congress this week and urge support of H.R. 10787, and share AAHomecare’s issue brief. Providers can also send an e-mail through Voter Voice.
“Our team is working to secure the same legislation for CGM and insulin pump supplies,” Ryan says. “See our Advocacy 101 Guide for details on how to request a district meeting. The midterm elections are Tuesday, November 3, and every House seat and about a third of the Senate are on the ballot. While lawmakers are home, call your member of Congress, invite them to visit your business, and ask them to cosponsor the Access to Medical Supplies Act.”
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