In brief: Wheelchair bill advances, Medline rebuilds, MedPAC reports
By HME News Staff
Updated 9:37 AM CDT, Fri July 17, 2026
WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1703, a bill that would increase access to carbon fiber and titanium manual wheelchairs, on July 20 by voice vote, AAHomecare and VGM Group have announced.
The Choices for Increased Mobility Act now moves to the Senate, where there is a companion bill, S. 247.
"This is an important milestone and brings this legislation one step closer to becoming law," said Tom Ryan, president and CEO of AAHomecare. "For more than six years, AAHomecare, VGM, NCART, CRT stakeholders, and patient advocacy partners have worked tirelessly to advance this legislation. We're grateful to everyone across the industry who has shared their stories, contacted lawmakers, and continued to advocate for better access to mobility technology. That persistent advocacy has made today's progress possible, and we encourage members to keep the pressure on during the August recess so the Senate can act quickly when Congress returns in September."
The bill would create two new HCPCS codes for the base of an ultralight manual wheelchair – one code for a base with titanium or carbon fiber, and one for a base without these specialized materials – and would allow for upgrading within a code.
H.R. 1703, introduced by Rep. John Joyce, R-Pa., passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously in May. It has been widely supported by not only the industry but also patient advocacy organizations, including the ITEM Coalition.
“VGM Group is proud to work alongside all of the amazing CRT members and the consumer community, as well as our advocacy partners at NCART and AAHomecare, to move this meaningful legislation forward," said Ike Isaacson, senior vice president of government relations, for VGM.
Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., delivered remarks on the House floor in support of H.R. 1703:
"I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1703, led by my colleague Representative Joyce of Pennsylvania. This bill provides greater clarity on Medicare Part B payment rules for manual wheelchairs and ensures that ultralightweight manual wheelchairs have appropriate Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System codes. Mobility device use has increased over the past few decades, with more seniors relying on wheelchairs to maintain their independence and quality of life. Medicare beneficiaries should not be limited in their ability to access the right wheelchair to help them move freely in their daily lives. Ultimately, the payment clarifications in this legislation are intended to improve access to wheelchair upgrades among Medicare beneficiaries who choose to do so.”
Rehab Medical promotes three to newly created roles
INDIANAPOLIS – Rehab Medical has promoted Ryan Weinrich to vice president of field operations; Matt Gottfried to vice president of marketing; and Amanda Andis to vice president of revenue cycle management. These newly created leadership roles are part of 33 promotions that have occurred across the company since the first half of 2026, reflecting Rehab Medical’s ongoing commitment to developing internal talent while supporting continued growth and innovation, the company says.
Ryan Weinrich: Beginning his career at Rehab Medical more than five years ago, Weinrich previously served as Rehab Medical’s senior director of field operations. As vice president of field operations, he will focus on building strong foundations to support growth, developing talent internally, setting teams up for long-term success, and creating clear career paths for employees. Weinrich has already made improvements to support leadership development. In 2026, he introduced a new Regional Operations Manager role and added six additional leadership roles.
Matt Gottfried: Starting his career at Rehab Medical nearly eight years ago as the company’s first marketing employee, Gottfried built a team from one to12. As vice president of marketing, he will have a heavier focus on refining marketing campaigns to better align with sales goals, strengthening communication channels for both patients and employees, and bridging gaps between sales and marketing.
Amanda Andis: Beginning her career at Rehab Medical in the fall of 2024, Andis has driven meaningful improvements in cash collections, built a strong and accountable team, and led several process improvement initiatives that are setting a better foundation for how the organization operates. As vice president of revenue cycle, she will bring the full revenue cycle together by overseeing each of its departments, including initial billing, payment posting, patient data administration, and payment analysis.
- Related: Rehab Medical grows on its own terms.
Medline announces new 1 million-square-foot facility in California
NORTHFIELD, Ill. – Medline plans to open a 1 million-square-foot distribution center in Perris, Calif. This follows the company’s previous announcement of a lease agreement for an existing 925,000-square-foot facility in Tracy, Calif., and plans for a 709,000-square-foot facility in Stockton, Calif., in January 2027. "This investment marks another step in the continued growth of our California distribution network," said Jim Eveland, vice president of regional operations at Medline. "The additional capacity in Perris enhances the flexibility and resiliency of our supply chain while reinforcing our commitment to health care providers across the state." In all, Medline's California distribution center footprint is expected to reach nearly 5 million square feet by mid-2027. The expansion comes as the company continues its recovery and customer-support efforts following the June 11 fire at its Tracy, Calif., distribution center.
MedPAC: Medicare Advantage now reaches 55% of eligible beneficiaries
WASHINGTON – The Medicare Payment Advisory Committee (MedPAC) has released its 2026 data book on health care spending and the Medicare program. The publication provides data on spending, demographics, beneficiary access, quality of care and other information. Data include:
- Medicare spent $1 trillion on personal health care in 2024, representing 23% of national spending on personal health care. Medicare covered 16% of people in the U.S.
- In February 2026, enrollment in MA plans, which are paid on a risk-adjusted basis, reached 35.5 million, or 55% of all eligible Medicare beneficiaries (only beneficiaries enrolled in both Part A and Part B are eligible to enroll in an MA plan).
- The total number of people enrolled in the Medicare program is projected to increase from about 63 million in 2020 to about 77 million in 2030. Beginning in 2030, when the entire baby-boom generation will have become eligible, Medicare enrollment will continue to increase but more slowly.
Dig into the 209-page report here.
Loewenstein Medical, Movair transition distribution for Luisa vent
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Loewenstein Medical Americas (LMA) has assumed direct responsibility for the sales, marketing, service and customer support for the Luisa ventilator in the United States. For the past five years, Austin, Texas-based Movair has served as the exclusive distributor for the Loewenstein Luisa ventilator in the U.S. During that time, the partnership between the two companies resulted in nearly 35,000 ventilators being placed across the country. “This milestone underscores the Luisa ventilator’s strong reputation as a trusted and leading solution in home respiratory care,” stated David Shockley, CEO of Movair, and Tony Costantino, CEO of LMA, in a letter to customers. Loewenstein Medical Americas is the U.S. division of Löwenstein Medical, a Hamburg-based, family-owned manufacturer of respiratory and sleep-therapy technology. It specializes in ventilators for hospitals and home care, sleep apnea devices (CPAP/BiLevel), oxygen therapy systems, and neonatal equipment.
Tactile Medical brings MyoSleeve to VA, DOD patients
MINNEAPOLIS – Tactile Medical has paid ElastiMed $3 million for the exclusive rights to distribute MyoSleeve, a wearable non-pneumatic compression device for the lower leg, to patients of the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense in the United States. MyoSleeve expands Tactile Medical’s portfolio by providing a new treatment option for appropriate patients in earlier stages of chronic swelling who may not yet require more intensive compression therapy, the company says. “Our agreement with ElastiMed adds a differentiated, wearable compression option to Tactile Medical’s portfolio and reflects our strategy of expanding access to patient-focused solutions across the continuum of chronic swelling care,” said Sheri Dodd, CEO of Tactile Medical. “For the right patient, MyoSleeve offers unobtrusive compression therapy that fits into daily life, giving patients the freedom to stay mobile while engaged in their own care.” Tactile Medical has also committed to certain minimum purchase obligations and marketing and sales promotion as it supports ElastiMed’s growth. The company plans to leverage its established sales organization, billing and payment expertise, and patient support infrastructure to drive MyoSleeve commercialization and support ongoing market access initiatives. It believes MyoSleeve may also be appropriate as a complementary treatment to a traditional pneumatic compression device and for patients who struggle with conservative therapy, or those with mobility-limiting cases.
- Related: Tactile buys LymphaTech for $6.8 million.
HME Medical expands executive team with Michelle Harvey as president
RICHMOND, British Columbia – HME Medical Distribution has promoted Michelle Harvey to the newly created role of president. Since joining HME Medical in 2014 as a sales representative, Harvey’s role has grown with the company. She has been pivotal in building the company’s pediatrics division, assisting with the launch of its e-commerce business and leading major system and IT changes. “This newly created role is both a celebration of HME’s growth and Michelle’s amazing career growth,” said Robert Boscacci, co-founder and CEO. “Michelle has been an important part of HME and has worked side-by-side with Cameron and me for many years on our executive leadership team.” Harvey will oversee the day-to-day operations and revenue performance of HME Medical, allowing Boscacci to continue focusing on strategic growth opportunities. Additionally, Cameron Fleming, co-founder and CIO of HME Medical, will join Boscacci on HME Medical’s board.
Roundtable to examine Medicare fraud in wound care
WASHINGTON – Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., chairman of the Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services, took part in a roundtable on “Medicare fraud: Examining the explosive growth in skin substitute spending” on July 21. Medicare Part B spending on skin substitutes grew from approximately $200 million in 2019 to more than $14.4 billion in 2025. “Skin substitutes are vital medical materials that Americans rely on for wound care, but fraudsters have engaged in kickback schemes to enrich themselves and defraud American taxpayers,” Grothman said. “In just six years, there has been a 7,100% increase in spending on this type of medical care, yet the number of patients receiving these products has only doubled. This gross waste must end. The purpose of this roundtable is to explore the factors that have led to this spending increase and stop waste, fraud, and abuse before it continues further.” During the roundtable, members and participants discussed common and emerging fraud schemes in the wound care space, especially with dramatically increased spending on skin substitutes for damaged skin. The panel also discussed the steps the Trump Administration’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has taken to stop fraud occurring within the expected continuous rise in skin substitutes spending by the federal government. The listed participants for the roundtable were:
- Joseph Capper, CEO, MiMedx Group, Inc.
- Dr. Amer Alnajar, chief medical officer and co-founder, Vytalize Health
- Mara McDermott, CEO, Accountable for Health
- Jelena Olmstead, CEO, Levaris Global
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