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Tag: Lobbying


On the Editor's Desk

Will you show up?

November 10, 2023Liz Beaulieu, Editor

AAHomecare and VGM will host another virtual lobbying day next week, on Nov. 13, to help push reimbursement relief bills in the House of Representatives and Senate across the finish line before Congress wraps up its work for the year.  The event will build on AAHomecare’s annual Washington Legislative Conference, which took place less than two months prior, on Sept. 20.  Managing Editor Theresa Flaherty and I can’t swear by it, but we haven’t seen...

AAHomecare, Lobbying, reimbursement relief, VGM Group


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Also Noted

CRT Fly-In registration opens 

July 17, 2023HME News Staff

WASHINGTON – NCART and NRRTS have opened registration for their 2023 Virtual CRT Congressional Fly-in scheduled for Sept. 13. “Congress plays a critical role in protecting access to CRT,” the two organizations say. “Educating them about the importance of appropriate CRT access is a message that needs to be delivered directly by CRT users, clinicians, caregivers, family members, suppliers, manufacturers and others.” There is no cost to register and participate. Once registered,...

Advocacy, Congressional Fly-In, Lobbying, National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers (NRRTS), NCART, Virtual


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News

Stakeholders push closer to new legislation 

March 31, 2023Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor

WASHINGTON – Fresh off its latest round of Hill visits, AAHomecare is confident it will have a bill in hand to address reimbursement in time for a legislative fly-in scheduled for May, says President and CEO Tom Ryan.  The industry is again seeking to implement a 90/10 blended reimbursement rate in former competitive bidding areas and to make permanent a 75/25 blended reimbursement rate for non-bid/non-rural areas that was extended as part of a year-end spending package in December.  “What...

AAHomecare, Advocacy, Legislative Fly-In, Lobbying, Reimbursement


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News

Thune discusses challenges with HME providers 

June 30, 2022HME News Staff

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., met with MAMES members in Sioux Falls, S.D., on June 29 to discuss the critical issues facing the HME industry.  Members, as well as executives from AAHomecare and The VGM Group, discussed critical staffing shortages, cost increases and surcharges, flawed reimbursement rates and burdensome documentation requirements.  “Sen. Thune spent an hour listening to MAMES members explain how they were an integral part of the health care...

CARES Act, John Thune, Lobbying, Midwest Association for Medical Equipment Services (MAMES), Reimbursement


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Quinlan's Pharmacy

Also Noted

Quinlan’s Pharmacy hosts candidate

November 23, 2021HME News Staff

MONTOUR FALLS, N.Y. – Quinlan’s Pharmacy in November hosted an event with Joe Sempolinksi, who is running to replace Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., who is not seeking another term in 2022. John Quinlan and other stakeholders discussed their concerns, including the need to extend reimbursement for non-rural and rural areas, and to establish new rates for competitive bid areas due to increased costs of equipment, PPE, surcharges and labor. “I was very impressed with candidate Sempolinski...

John Quinlan, Lobbying, Quinlan's Pharmacy, VGM Government Relations


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AAH adds lobbying muscle

August 9, 2021HME News Staff

WASHINGTON – AAHomecare has retained The Nickels Group, a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm, to bolster the association’s ability to engage Capitol Hill and federal agencies overseeing health care policy. TNG, which has strong contacts and experience working with CMS, HHS and OMB, recently added Brett Baker, the former health policy director for the Senate Finance Committee, to its roster. “I had the privilege of working with AAHomecare during my 10 years on Capitol Hill – first...

AAHomecare, Lobbying, The Nickels Group


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Stakeholders: Get in front of lawmakers in August

News

Stakeholders: Get in front of lawmakers in August

July 16, 2021Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor

PHOENIX – When Congress breaks for recess next month, the industry needs to prime the pump for the fall, said John Gallagher, vice president of government relations for VGM, at Medtrade West.  “It’s time for the August of Action,” he said during a legislative update at that the show. “They’ll have the infrastructure package behind them, so when they come back, they will be dealing with issues related to Medicare and health care, so reach out to them while...

Competitive Bidding, Lobbying


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NCART, NRRTS announce virtual fly-in

July 12, 2021HME News Staff

WASHINGTON – NCART and NRRTS will host a Virtual CRT Congressional Fly-in on Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. as part of National CRT Awareness Week. “Every year we hold a CRT-focused Washington, D.C., event that keeps CRT advocates connected with Capitol Hill to talk about issues impacting access for people with disabilities,” NCART stated in an announcement. “We’re excited to offer the opportunity to deliver these important messages without asking attendees to leave...

Awareness, Complex Rehab, Complex Rehab Technology (CRT), Lobbying, National, NCART


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Stakeholders meet with staff of Rep. McMorris Rodgers

May 24, 2021HME News Staff

SPOKANE, Wash. – Members of the Pacific Association for Medical Equipment Services (PAMES), along with John Gallagher of VGM, met with the staff of Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers in her office here last week. The group expressed concerns with the increasing costs of home medical equipment. Accompanying Gallagher, vice president of government relations for VGM, were Mike Calcaterra and Paul Sabin of Norco, Don Whitney of Inland Medical and Rehab, and Melissa Roberts of Bellevue Healthcare. McMorris...

Congressional Visit, Lobbying, Pacific Association for Medical Equipment Services


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On the Editor's Desk

Just a start

February 3, 2021Liz Beaulieu, Editor

In the past few months:  A global pandemic has severely stressed the supply of oxygen concentrators, revealing cracks in an HME industry that has been slowly chipped away at by Medicare’s competitive bidding program for 10 years.  CMS has decided not to move forward with the majority of Round 2021 of that program, because the agency didn’t “achieve expected savings,” and therefore – wait for it – the current reduced rates continue to apply.  The...

Advocacy, Competitive Bidding, Coronavirus, Lobbying, Oxygen Concentrator, Pandemic


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