Industry pushes for delay

WASHINGTON - Knowing a one-week delay isn't enough, AAHomecare in July continued to push for further delays to national competitive bidding. On June 29, CMS extended the deadline for submitting bids from July 13 to July 20. AAHomecare sent a letter to CMS Acting Administrator Herb Kuhn in July seeking a delay due to several issues, including "severe technical problems with bid submissions and late dissemination of critical information." Additionally, two senators and representatives have picked up the cause, crafting sign-on letters that urge CMS to delay competitive bidding. Sens. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and Reps. Tom Allen, D-Maine, and Sam Johnson, R-Texas, are circulating the letters. At press time in early July, 14 representatives and eight senators had signed the letters.