WASHINGTON, DC – We’ve heard reports that 40 members of Congress have added their names to a House sign-on letter to HHS Secretary Price (pictured left with Tom Ryan, president and CEO of AAHomecare) and CMS Administrator Verma asking for long-term fixes to the competitive bidding program and other industry policy priorities. While we expect that number to grow when Congress returns from recess this week, we’re asking HME stakeholders to weigh in with their representative in the House to ask that they sign on.

Please reach out to the House office representing you this week, and ask for the staffer who handles healthcare issues. When you’re connected with that individual (or are asked to leave a message), please ask that the Member sign his/her name to the Congressional sign-on letter on home medical equipment issues recently released by Reps. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-Wash.), Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Larry Bucson (R-Ind.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) – you can offer to send them a copy of the sign-on letter, as well as the accompanying Dear Colleague letter if they are unaware of it.  

If you’re asked what the chief points are in the letter, you can tell them the letter asks for:
• Relief for HME suppliers in rural areas who have faced drastic Medicare reimbursement cuts
• Long-term reforms to the competitive bidding program
• Stopping severe cuts for companies that provide Complex Rehab Technology accessories
• Restoring oxygen rates in rural areas that have been recently cut

If you’re one of the 150-plus individuals who joined us at the Washington Legislative Conference last week, your follow-up with offices you met with is especially critical if they haven’t signed on.

Please contact Gordon Barnes at [email protected] if you would like information on whether your member has agreed to sign on yet or for contact info for the individual who handles healthcare in your Representative’s office.

You can also encourage your colleagues and other individuals to send an email to their representative using our online Grassroots Action Center.

We expect the House sign-on letter to stay open through June 9, so your action is needed soon. While we’ve had reports that several Senate offices have expressed interest in joining a similar Senate-side letter, there is not a similar effort in that chamber as of yet.