WASHINGTON, D.C. – Legislation that could have a profound impact on the HME industry is moving in Congress, and we have limited working days left before the U.S. House of Representatives begins its late-summer recess on July 27. These final days are when policy is hammered out, negotiations intensify, and deals are made behind closed doors.
This is the window where decisions that affect our businesses, our patients, and our communities are locked in. If our voice isn’t being heard now, we will be left out of the conversations that define our future.
I cannot overstate the urgency. Every time I’m in Washington, D.C., I see how quickly priorities shift and how easily small industries, even essential ones like ours, can be overlooked. That’s why AAHomecare has built a coordinated, multi‑pronged strategy to keep HME legislation front and center on Capitol Hill.
We’re pressing every lever: legislative action, regulatory engagement, media pressure, and grassroots mobilization. Our plans evolve in real time as we engage in high‑level conversations with the Administration and key political leaders. In the last two weeks, I have been to D.C. to meet with three of our top‑tier firms to strategize on new intelligence and held a meeting with our fourth firm to fill in the gaps. We’re engaged in every corner of Washington.
But the most powerful force we have is you. Your voice is what policymakers remember. Your stories are what change minds. Next week, while Congress is in session, I need you to make a call to your legislators’ office and mention at least two of these issues:
- 247/H.R. 1703:The Choices for Increased Mobility Actallows Medicare beneficiaries to access manual wheelchairs constructed with carbon fiber and titanium materials, with minimal government financial commitment. Introduced by Rep. John Joyce (R-PA) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL), the House legislation currently has eleven co-sponsors and the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to advance the bill to the full House. This legislation has had strong bipartisan support and is a key policy for many of our patient advocacy organization partners.
ASK: Co-sponsor S. 247 and Representatives to cosponsor H.R. 1703 to allow for upgrades within a code for titanium and carbon fiber wheelchairs.
- 1406/H.R. 2902: The SOAR Act creates a new reimbursement system that ensures access to home oxygen. Introduced by Rep. David Valadao (R-CA), the legislation has been steadily gaining new co-sponsors since the Washington Legislative Conference and currently sits at 62 in the House and 8 in the Senate. This legislation is poised to move with steady pressure from the industry.
ASK: Please cosponsor the SOAR Act to modernize oxygen reimbursement, permanently remove oxygen from the Competitive Bidding Program, and ensure beneficiaries with complex respiratory needs receive appropriate care.
- 2951/H.R. 2005: The DMEPOS Relief Act provides a 75/25 blended rate relief for DME items for non-bid, non-rural areas until the end of 2025. Introduced by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), the House legislation currently has 25 bipartisan co-sponsors and was included in the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee hearing earlier this year.
ASK: Cosponsor and move forward H.R. 2005/S.2951 to extend the 75/25 blended rate and provide essential reimbursement relief for suppliers in non‑rural, non‑competitive bidding areas.
Delay the Next Round of Competitive Bidding: AAHomecare is working with Congress on legislation that would delay the inclusion of some product categories in competitive bidding for 5 years, create a technical advisory panel, and a demonstration project to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries are protected. By talking about the challenges of the program, you will prime legislators for support when introduced.
ASK: Congress should urge CMS to delay implementation of the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program to prevent disruption to beneficiary access and allow time to develop a workable, sustainable framework.
We Need Full HME Support
We are a small but mighty industry. The stakes are clear: reimbursement pressures, regulatory burdens, and policies that do not reflect the realities of caring for patients at home. In times like these, the AAHomecare team and I are fueled by your strength, resilience, compassion, and determination as we work to protect the HME benefit.
Your stories are the heartbeat of this work. You keep patients safe at home. You preserve independence. You prevent unnecessary institutional care. You stabilize families and communities. That is the message we are carrying into every room where decisions are being made.
Now we need you to carry it, too. Make your voice heard today. Call your member of Congress and share your story. Tell them why HME matters to your business, your patients, and to the health of your community. Let’s move the needle together.
Tom Ryan is president and CEO of the American Association for Homecare.
