Tag: Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
Separate benefit for complex rehab back in play
August 18, 2017Liz Beaulieu, Editor
WASHINGTON - Legislation to create a separate benefit for complex rehab is on the radar of the Congressional Budget Office, says NCART Executive Director Don Clayback.The offices of Reps. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., and Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., who introduced H.R. 750, the “Ensuring Access to Quality Complex Rehabilitation Technology Act of 2017,” on Jan. 30, have been pushing for a “score” from the CBO.“The bill is there, it's on their desk and it's in their to-be-done pile,”...
Score! CBO estimates bill would increase revenue
March 13, 2015HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - The industry's binding bids legislation got another boost yesterday when the Congressional Budget Office said that passing it could increase revenues.
In a statement, the CBO estimated that H.R. 284 would increase revenues by about $1 million.
The CBO stated:
CBO expects that implementing the legislation would not have a significant effect on the prices that CMS establishes for DME items, but that it would result in the forfeiture of a small number of surety bonds. CBO estimates...
VGM Group inks agreement with Benefits365
June 18, 2013HME News Staff
WATERLOO, Iowa - The VGM Group has signed an agreement with Benefits365, a company that helps HME providers convert beneficiaries to Medicare Advantage plans, according to a press release. Ron Bendell, president of VGM and Associates, says the agreement will expand the options for his members. “Benefits365's team understands the needs of providers and the complexity of insurance plans, so they are in a unique position to help our members proactively educate beneficiaries about Medicare Advantage...
Lesser of two evils
May 17, 2013Liz Beaulieu, Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine - Some Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are starting to look more and more like traditional Medicare, industry sources say.
In the wake of CMS's announcement of the Round 2 payment amounts, a Blue Cross Blue Shield MA plan in one state, for example, has shaved 10% off its reimbursement for HME. Another plan going in that direction: Windsor, says Tyler Poole.
“We anticipated this,” said Poole, vice president of operations for Benefits365, a company that helps providers...
Behind the scenes
May 17, 2013Elizabeth Deprey
WASHINGTON - Tenacious efforts by providers, consumers and manufacturers led to last week's introduction of a bipartisan Senate bill that would create a separate benefit for complex rehab, stakeholders say.“This proves that individual conversations do make a difference,” said Don Clayback, executive director of NCART. “Members will respond—with enough noise—to the needs of the people.”That “noise” sure reached Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Thad Cochran,...
Will 'pay for' pass muster with CBO?
May 3, 2013Liz Beaulieu, Editor
WASHINGTON - HME industry stakeholders expect to find out soon if the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) agrees that their bill to replace competitive bidding with a market-pricing program (MPP) is budget neutral.“Now that the bill has dropped and now that the CBO has dealt with some of the other issues they've had to deal with, we expect a score to be coming,” said Cara Bachenheimer, senior vice president of government relations for Invacare.Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., introduced H.R. 1717...
Industry pokes holes in bid program
March 8, 2013Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON - A pair of planned Hill briefings and a “Dear Colleague” letter are turning up the heat on the HME industry's fight against competitive bidding.
The briefings, scheduled for March 14, will give stakeholders another chance to make their case against the competitive bidding program.
“This is an opportunity to educate members of Congress and their staff on the program and the problems identified with Round 2,” said Seth Johnson, vice president of government...
Ohio lawmakers to CBO: Score MPP
February 22, 2013HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - In letters this month, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and a group of 11 congressmen from the state urged the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to score the market-pricing program (MPP). In the letters, lawmakers expressed concern about the Round 2 expansion of competitive bidding. “Without considerable changes to the program, we have reservations about the ability of CMS to expand the program while maintaining beneficiary access and quality,” the congressmen stated in their letter....
In brief: Industry holds on, Medicare bill revived
January 25, 2013HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Industry stakeholders continue to work behind the scenes on building support for the market-pricing program (MPP), but that's about all they can say at this point. “We are pushing for strong champions and everything is on track with the Congressional Budget Office and the Legislative Counsel,” said Walt Gorski, vice president of government affairs for AAHomecare. Meanwhile, the wait goes on for the Round 2 single payment amounts, which are expected any day. So far, although...
CBO: Social security spending will outpace tax revenues
October 2, 2012HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Spending for Social Security totaled $773 billion in fiscal year 2012, about 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) and one-fifth of federal spending, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) stated in an updated report released Oct. 2.Over the next 10 years, outlays will exceed dedicated tax revenues by, on average, about 10%. That gap will grow larger in the 2020s.“As more members of the baby-boom generation retire and the U.S. population grows older in the coming decades, Social Security...