Tag: Bruce Braley

WASHINGTON - Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, are spearheading a congressional sign-on letter urging CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner not to expand competitive bidding until the Office of Inspector General (OIG) has completed its investigation into the program, according to AAHomecare. “It's no secret that policymakers on both sides of the aisle see the controversial national bidding program as an unacceptable burden on the elderly and disabled,” stated Tom...

WASHINGTON - In a June 21 letter to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, call on the agency to investigate the possibility that CMS deliberately overlooked its own rules when awarding contracts for competitive bidding, according to a press release. The OIG is charged with identifying and combating waste, fraud and abuse in more than 300 programs, including Medicare. “We have asked the Inspector General to look into...

WASHINGTON - A bill that would delay the expansion of competitive bidding could get fast-tracked through the House of Representatives, say industry stakeholders.Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, introduced H.R. 2375, the “Transparency Accountability in Medicare Bidding Act of 2013,” on June 14. The bill would delay the implementation of Round 2, scheduled to go live July 1, until Dec. 31, 2013, and the Round 1 re-compete, set for Jan. 1, 2014, until six months after...

WASHINGTON - Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, have introduced a bill to delay the implementation of Round 2 of competitive bidding, according to The VGM Group. H.R. 2375, the “Transparency Accountability in Medicare Bidding Act of 2013,” would delay the implementation of Round 2, scheduled to go live July 1, until Dec. 31, 2013. It would also delay the Round 1 re-compete, set for Jan. 1, 2014, until six months after Round 2 starts. During the delay, the bill...

WATERLOO, Iowa - The tide may be turning on CMS and its competitive bidding program, industry stakeholders told attendees at The VGM Group's Heartland Conference last week. The same week as the conference, Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, introduced a bill that would delay Round 2 of competitive bidding (see top story). Earlier in the week, they had sent a “Dear Colleague” letter signed by 227 lawmakers, a majority in the House of Representatives, to CMS. “This...

WASHINGTON - The National Association for the Support of Long Term Care (NASL) stands behind lawmakers in the House of Representatives who want to delay implementation of Round 2 of competitive bidding, according to a press release. The association applauded the leadership of Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, who crafted a “Dear Colleague” letter to garner support for the delay, saying a myriad of concerns need to be addressed. “NASL continues to voice serious...

WASHINGTON - Amid growing concerns on Capitol Hill, CMS officials have been asked to report to Senate staff on Round 2 of competitive bidding at a briefing on Tuesday. “The pressure's on,” said Jay Witter, vice president of government affairs for AAHomecare. “The licensure issue is one that CMS has not been able to answer.” The Maryland Office of Healthcare Quality confirmed recently that there are more than 100 contract suppliers that don't meet licensure...

WASHINGTON - Two separate pairs of congressmen have penned letters aiming to push back the July 1 implementation of Round 2 of competitive bidding, according to reports from The VGM Group and FAHCS. In their "Dear Colleague" letter, Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, urge their fellow lawmakers to join them in requesting that CMS delay the start date through the end of 2013 to “allow for adequate investigation and correction of the significant problems.” Another letter...