Reps. Meuser, Miller-Meeks lead effort to halt flawed CMS rule 

WASHINGTON – Reps. Dan Meuser and Mariannette Miller-Meeks are spearheading a sign-on letter asking CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to prevent flawed provisions for a new round of the competitive bidding program (CBP) from taking effect, AAHomecare reports. 

In a time-sensitive call to action, AAHomecare is asking industry stakeholders to reach out to Republicans in the House of Representatives to sign on to the letter. 

“If you are represented in the House by a Republican, please share the letter with their staffer who handles health care issues and ask them to join the letter,” AAHomecare stated. “CMS is expected to release the final rule soon, so please take action today.” 

Key concerns with competitive bidding expansion 

The letter notes several major issues with the CBP provisions in the recent DMEPOS/Home Health Proposed Rule, including impacts on domestic medical product manufacturing and new product categories unsuited to the bidding program.  
 
Preserving guardrails from previous round of program 

It specifically asks CMS to withdraw expansion of the CBP into new product categories and to keep in place “guardrails established under the first Trump Administration—including use of the unadjusted 2015 fee schedules as the bid ceiling and payment at the clearing price—that helped stabilize the market, maintain supplier viability, and protect patient access.” 

A new proposal: America First Demonstration 
 
The letter proposes an alternate path that directs the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to “test an America First demonstration that rewards U.S.-made and allied-sourced products, incorporates modern fraud-prevention technologies and evaluates outcomes before any nationwide expansion.” 

• Read the full letter here.