Bid delay bills see blitz of support

WASHINGTON – Numerous organizations representing health care professionals and people who use diabetes, urological and ostomy supplies are putting their weight behind bills that would delay these product categories from being included in Medicare’s competitive bidding program for five years.

• The Diabetes Interventions Addressing Barriers to Enrollment, Technology, and Education Services Act (DIABETES Act), S. 4037, was introduced by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, to, among other things, delay the program for continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and insulin pumps for five years.
• The Access to Medical Supplies Act, H.R. 10787, was introduced by Reps. Greg Murphy, M.D., R-N.C., and Brad Schneider, D-Ill., to exclude urological and ostomy supplies from the program for five years.

CBP will impact patient access

Twelve organizations recently sent a letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., opposing the inclusion of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and insulin pumps in the program, according to AAHomecare.

The letter raises concerns about patient access, noting that CGMs and insulin pumps are critical to diabetes management and are part of the standards of care published by the American Diabetes Association and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology.

It also points to the benefits of automated insulin delivery (AID) systems, specifically:

“Research has shown that use of these technologies results in better health for people with diabetes. Real-world data shows that AID systems provide significant glycemic improvements in people with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in the Medicare population. These technologies are also cost-effective, reducing hospitalizations and emergency department visits, with total savings to federal health care programs in the billions of dollars over the last couple of decades.”

Petition & lobby day amplify message

A petition spearheaded by the ITEM Coalition to raise concerns about the inclusion of ostomy and urological supplies in the program has received 2,116 signers as of Oct. 12, according to AAHomecare.

Petition signers represent all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with more than 70% of signers being end users who are directly impacted by the policy or family caregivers who help care for someone who is, the association says. Numerous clinicians and HME professionals have also signed in support.

Meanwhile, the United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA) recently held a Virtual Ostomy Day, hosting meetings with 73 congressional offices across 28 states to address concerns with the program, according to AAHomecare.

WOCN offers resources to support engagement

The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses (WOCN) Society has prepared resources to help its more than 6,500 members urge their representatives to co-sponsor the bill.

"Nurses see firsthand how access to the right supplies affects a patient's health, independence, and daily life," said Christine Berke, MSN, APRN-NP, AGPCNP-BC, CWOCN-AP, president of WOCN. "We have spent years educating policymakers about the clinical needs of the patients who rely on these products. This legislation represents an important step toward protecting their access, and we urge our members to help Congress understand why these protections matter."