WASHINGTON, D.C. – AAHomecare leadership recently held two high-level meetings with the White House and the Office of the Vice President on competitive bidding, raising concerns about industry consolidation and patient access nationwide.
These meetings follow March discussions with senior White House officials and an April meeting with CMS Administrator Oz. Talks have been positive, keeping industry concerns elevated at the highest levels of the administration. As the HME community awaits bidding registration, advocacy partners continue pushing legislative and regulatory strategies to pause or stop RID (remote item delivery) competitive bidding.
What You Can Do Now
The House is in recess, and the Senate follows at the end of this week. Request meetings with your legislators now, and press competitive bidding along with other key priorities, including the Choices for Increased Mobility Act, the SOAR Act, and 75/25 legislation. A site visit can be an effective way to share the message. AAHomecare member Total Medical Supply in Texarkana, Texas hosted Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX).
“After meeting with Congressman Moran during the AAHomecare Washington Legislative Conference, we were honored to welcome him to our headquarters in East Texas,” said Cole Riddell, chief of staff and general counsel for Total Medical Supply. “His visit provided an opportunity to see firsthand our commitment to serving patients and to discuss the potential impact of CMS’ proposal to include continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps in the next round of competitive bidding. We appreciate his willingness to engage with providers, meet our team, and better understand the importance of protecting patient access and patient choice. We look forward to continuing our work together on behalf of the patients and communities we serve.”
AAHomecare is helping to set up similar Congressional visits and meetings during the August recess. Access the Advocacy 101 Guide for step-by-step direction for scheduling a meeting, hosting a facility tour, and even engaging with the media. There are issue briefs, talking points, background materials and contact information to help prepare for conversations. Access advocacy materials or reach out to Tilly Gambill, sr. director of marketing communications at [email protected], for help with contact information for your legislator’s office.
Engaging Patients in Competitive Bidding AdvocacyAllied stakeholder organizations are equipping patients and caregivers to advocate. Members can direct patients to HighCostofLowBids.org, a consumer-focused website supported by several consumer groups including the Spina Bifida Association. The website provides a centralized resource for individuals to learn how Competitive Bidding changes could impact access to care and contact their Members of Congress.
The ITEM Coalition, a consortium of over 100 national consumer and clinician organizations, will host a stakeholder webinar on Competitive Bidding updates and discuss opportunities to engage grassroots advocates in the August recess. United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA) created a turnkey advocacy graphic that stakeholders can use to encourage ostomates to reach out to their legislator as part of the Get Local Get Vocal campaign.
Together, these voices demonstrate the broad impact of Competitive Bidding policy decisions and amplify a united message to policymakers about the importance of protecting access to home-based care.
A Unified Push for Congressional Action
A coordinated response to competitive bidding can still shape the outcome. AAHomecare’s conversations with the Administration open one door; your meetings with members of Congress during the August recess open another. When providers, patients, caregivers, and allied groups speak with one voice, policymakers notice. The Association is asking every member to use this recess to make that message impossible to ignore.