WASHINGTON, DC – AAHomecare continues to work with industry champions on Capitol Hill to advance HME policy priorities and increase chances to have provisions from HR 2771 and HR 4945 included in future omnibus legislative packages.
AAHomecare officials urge providers, manufacturers, distributors, and other companies supporting the HME community to take action over the next few weeks to contact your representatives in the House and ask for them to co-sponsor these bills.
Non-Bid Area Relief & O2 Rural Reimbursement
HR 2771 – Protecting HOME Access Act of 2019
Current Co-Sponsors (71)
See our updated list of Reps. who co-sponsored rural relief legislation in the 115th Congress but are not yet co-sponsoring HR 2771; these should be top co-sponsor targets.
Keeping Non-Invasive Ventilators Out of Bidding Program
HR 4945 – SMART Act of 2019
Current Co-Sponsors (41)
See this updated list of Reps. who joined a sign-on letter asking CMS to reconsider plans to add NIV to the CB program but have not yet cosponsored for best targets.
Is Your Representative a Member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee?
Generating support from members of this committee of jurisdiction for Medicare financing-related issues is especially important, especially if your Representative is part of the Democratic majority. If your legislator is one of the 12 members of the Energy & Commerce Committee already co-sponsoring one of these bills, please ask them to contact Committee leadership (for Democrats: Chairman Frank Pallone – for Republicans: Ranking Member Greg Walden) to ask that the bill(s) be considered for future Omnibus Legislation.
See a full list of Energy & Commerce Committee members, co-sponsorship status, and contact info for Legislative staff handling healthcare issues for these members here.
Make a Face-to-Face Case
We appreciate the terrific efforts from HME advocates who have emailed and called their legislators to help build support for these issues. Make an even stronger impression by asking your House member or a staffer in a face-to-face meeting in-district. The House has “in-district work periods” set for Feb. 18-21 and Mar. 16-20. Please consider asking for an appointment to meet with your House member during one of these periods, either on your own or with other HME suppliers in your area. See the full 2020 Congressional schedule here.
AAHomecare is Here to Help
Please contact Ashley Plauche at [email protected] or Gordon Barnes at [email protected] for contact information for House staffers who handle healthcare issues, help with messaging your requests or setting up a meeting, or any other assistance needed in making your contacts. We would also like to hear about any agreements to co-sponsor, or any “no” responses, so our lobbying team can follow up.
ACU-Serve Makes Significant Commitment to Payer Relations Efforts
AKRON, OH – HME billing and collection services company ACU-Serve is investing in better public policy by providing additional financial support for AAHomecare’s payer relations advocacy efforts. Funds derived from this sponsorship will allow the Association’s payer relations team to expand the fight for more sustainable reimbursements from Medicaid programs and other payers nationwide and push back against overly narrow network arrangements.
“We want to give back to the industry that has allowed us to build a successful company for over 25 years,” said Jim Knight, ACU-Serve’s owner and CEO. “Given the tremendous growth we’ve seen in the importance and market-share of non-Medicare payers in recent years, we believe giving extra support for advocacy efforts focused on this diverse payer cohort will allow us to have the most impact on the business environment for the provider community.”
“AAHomecare’s payer relations’ efforts have resulted in policy wins in dozens of states, and we want to help build on these successes by helping Laura Williard (pictured) and David Chandler engage with providers and payers across the country,” added Knight. “Providers, manufacturers, distributors, and service providers such as ourselves all need to work together to help grow this industry and protect our ability to serve patients. I hope our decision to increase our investment in the future of HME helps inspire other companies to make a similar commitment.”
“We appreciate this support and recognition of the impact of payer relations efforts,” remarked Tom Ryan, AAHomecare president & CEO. “The additional resources provided by leaders like ACU-Serve and the companies participating in AAHomecare as corporate partners are critical to the continued success of our advocacy work.”
“We need to make sure that HME stakeholders everywhere are well-equipped to educate and engage state Medicaid programs, MCOs, and other payers across the country who are looking to rein in healthcare costs,” said Laura Williard, AAHomecare vice president of payer relations. “This terrific commitment from Jim Knight and ACU-Serve will help us meet that challenge to the benefit of this entire industry.”
ACU-Serve will be exhibiting at Booth #305 at Medtrade Spring, scheduled for March 3-5, 2020, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
