WASHINGTON – Over the past few weeks, AAHomecare stepped up efforts to build industry consensus on addressing the Proposed NCD on noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) and to share industry concerns with CMS and Capitol Hill.

In advance of the Apr. 10 comment deadline, AAHomecare worked to develop aligned messaging with leaders from member respiratory companies and industry stakeholder groups and encourage substantive comments from our membership and from clinicians.

On Apr. 7, AAHomecare and industry stakeholders met with leaders of the Coverage Analysis Group at CMS to share concerns with the proposed NCD. AAHomecare’s Tom Ryan, Kim Brummett, Mina Uehara, and General Counsel Cara Bachenheimer took part in the focused and productive session, along with representatives from CQRC and VGM. Bill Guidetti (pictured right) with Apria provided a compelling respiratory company perspective, and Al Dobson presented findings from the recently completed Dobson DaVanzo study on the positive impacts of home-based NIV therapy for Medicare beneficiaries.

Tom Ryan and Jay Witter were also on Capitol Hill last week to meet with physician members of Congress who could be effective, well-informed advocates. Ryan and Witter met with Sen. John Cassidy (R-LA), Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL), Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC), and the Executive Director of the House Doctors Caucus. They also met with Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), a senior member of the House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee, and attended an event that included most of the North Carolina congressional delegation.

AAHomecare Submits Comments
AAHomecare also submitted detailed comments on the Proposed NCD, drawing on the expertise of members of the Regulatory Council under the guidance of Brummett, Uehara, and Bachenheimer.

Given the potential impacts on patient health that could follow from implementing the provisions in the NCD, AAHomecare will continue to engage CMS and Capitol Hill on this issue to help arrive at NIPPV coverage, testing, and administrative processes that allow the industry to deliver the most effective care to individuals with significant respiratory challenges.

Additional Resources

• AAHomecare comments to the Proposed NCD
• View all comments submitted here
• NIPPV Issue Brief
• Impact of Non-Invasive Ventilator at Home (NIVH billed under HCPCS E0466) on Select Outcomes for Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Beneficiaries– summary of new Dobson DaVanzo study commissioned by AAHomecare