Tag: Advocacy

In the past few months:  A global pandemic has severely stressed the supply of oxygen concentrators, revealing cracks in an HME industry that has been slowly chipped away at by Medicare’s competitive bidding program for 10 years.  CMS has decided not to move forward with the majority of Round 2021 of that program, because the agency didn’t “achieve expected savings,” and therefore – wait for it – the current reduced rates continue to apply.  The...

Earlier this month, Managing Editor Theresa Flaherty and I were trying to piece together the latest developments in reimbursement relief and we were both getting pretty frustrated. AAHomecare announced recently that the industry's champions in the House of Representatives had introduced H.R. 8158, a bill that would eliminate the budget neutrality requirement for home oxygen therapy. The association says the House Energy and Commerce Committee requested that the provision be peeled away from the other...

WASHINGTON - AAHomecare has launched ONE VOICE, a monthly videocast to discuss the major challenges that the HME industry is facing, and the importance of strong and united advocacy efforts to securing better policy results and rates at both the state and federal levels. The videocasts are hosted by Jeff Bowman, vice president of HME at McKesson, and one of the association's board members. The first videocast features Dewey Roof, president of Life HME and Life H2H; James Russell, vice president and...

WASHINGTON - AAHomecare says it has seen a strong increase in the number of companies supporting the association at the corporate partner level.American Medical Technologies joined the association in March as a platinum corporate partner, and Apria Healthcare and McKesson have both increased their support to that level, bringing the total number of platinum corporate partners to seven.“We appreciate the investment that every one of our members is making in AAHomecare,” said Tom Ryan,...

WASHINGTON - AAHomecare has developed a toolkit for leaders at state and regional HME associations to use in their advocacy efforts.The State Legislative & Regulatory Resource Toolkit is the product of a yearlong collaboration between AAHomecare's payer relations team and its state legislative and regulatory workgroup, drawing on the perspectives of stakeholders with experience working with state legislators and regulators, the association says.“This new resource captures the best thinking...

NEW YORK - James Weisman, president and CEO of United Spinal Association, was awarded a certificate of recognition from the Mayor's Office for People With Disabilities during the recent Disability Awareness Night at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y. Weisman received the certificate for his advocacy to expand disability rights and access to transportation for wheelchair users in New York City and across the country. “When Jim is at the table, he is vocal and relentless in the pursuit of equality,”...

Tarentum, Pa.-based Blackburn's hosted U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Pa., for a roundtable discussion with company executives, University of Pittsburgh researchers and other industry stakeholders, according to a local newspaper. The focus of the discussion: two bills, one that would stop competitive bidding pricing for accessories for complex rehab manual wheelchairs (H.R. 2293) and one that would create a separate benefit category for complex rehab (H.R. 2408). Lamb said the discussion was valuable, especially...

WASHINGTON - The United Spinal Association will hold its annual “Roll on Capitol Hill” June 23-26. The event is United Spinal's annual legislative advocacy event to addresses issues that impact the health, independence and quality of life of individuals living with spinal cord injuries and disorders, including disabled veterans. Highlights of the conference include a welcome reception on June 23, an advocacy education and expo day on June 24 and a congressional awards reception on June...

WASHINGTON - Doug Coleman, owner of Major Medical in Loveland, Colo., and president of the Colorado Association for Medical Equipment Services, will receive the AAHomecare/Mal Mixon Legislative Advocate Award at the Washington Legislative Conference on May 23. “Doug exemplifies the characteristics of this award, which honors AAHomecare members who inspire and motivate others to join the fight for better federal policy for the home medical equipment sector,” the association stated. “Serving...

Advocacy efforts are on the rise, as we near the Washington Legislative Conference on May 23-24 and the industry pushes for relief for non?bid areas, structural reforms to the competitive bidding program, and a critical exemption of CRT accessories from bidding?derived pricing. This May, the HME industry will take The Hill by storm with hundreds of congressional office visits and a meaningful plea for elected officials to take a stand for homecare patients and those who serve them. One thing is clear:...