Tag: Donald Trump
Trump creates Task Force to Eliminate Fraud
March 18, 2026HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – President Donald J. Trump has signed an executive order creating the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, which will advise the president and coordinate government-wide efforts to combat widespread fraud, waste and abuse in federal benefit programs.
The order directs the task force, on behalf of the president, to coordinate a comprehensive national strategy to stop fraud, waste, and abuse across federal benefit programs, including housing, food, medical care and cash assistance administered...
Trump signs HR 1
July 7, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has signed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, ushering in several Medicare and Medicaid changes that will impact the HME industry. The bill will, among other things, cut Medicare reimbursement by 4% across the board (unless PAYGO is waived) and implement a mandatory work / education requirement for Medicaid that is expected to reduce the number of total enrollees. Other measures in the bill could also have a ripple effect on the industry by decreasing...
Trump pauses tariffs
February 5, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Feb. 3 suspended his plans to implement 25% tariffs on products from Mexico and Canada, agreeing to a one-month pause in exchange for concessions on border security and crime enforcement.
The DME industry is closely monitoring the situation to see what, if any, exclusions might be included for medical equipment and products, according to a bulletin from VGM Government Relations.
An increase in tariffs, VGM says, could lead to several...
Trump’s tariffs: ‘The costs stack up’
January 24, 2025Liz Beaulieu, Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine – HME manufacturers in January were watching closely as the rhetoric around potential tariffs on imports from certain countries heated up and they were taking steps to mitigate any risks, including stocking up on inventory.
Following his win in the November election, President Donald Trump singled out countries like China, Mexico and Canada for double-digit tariffs in a move that he believes will protect companies in the U.S. and encourage more companies to make products...
Trump picks Dr. Oz as CMS chief
November 19, 2024HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump has named Mehmet Oz, the celebrity physician known as Dr. Oz, as his pick for CMS administrator, according to online news reports.
Oz, 64, ran for Senate in Pennsylvania in 2022, ultimately losing to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and has been a Trump ally ever since, according to reports.
“Dr. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take on the illness industrial complex and all the horrible chronic diseases left in...
Poll respondents lean toward Trump
October 9, 2020Theresa Flaherty
YARMOUTH, Maine - President Donald Trump is the top pick for president for 57% of the respondents to a recent HME Newspoll.
A slightly higher percentage of respondents, 59%, believe Trump will best Democratic candidate Joe Biden.
“A Trump win will be good for small business vs. Biden,” wrote Randall Cramer. “Namely, less taxation and regulation. Improvement in reimbursement is essential to the future of the HME industry.”
Since the business-friendly...
Stakeholders size up Biden vs. Trump
September 18, 2020Theresa Flaherty
WASHINGTON - How will the November elections impact the HME industry?
There are a number of dynamics at play in the presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump and in the various races in the House of Representatives and Senate, says John Leppard, a health care analyst with Washington Analysis.
“At the top of the line: a Biden win-Democratic sweep is probably a net slightly positive in the near- to medium-term as it augurs greater stability,” he said. “He's...
Trump expands telehealth services to certain providers
March 18, 2020HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - The Trump administration has expanded Medicare telehealth coverage to allow beneficiaries to receive a wider range of healthcare services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility.
Beginning March 6, CMS will temporarily pay clinicians to provide telehealth services for beneficiaries residing across the entire country.
A range of healthcare providers, such as doctors, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists and licensed clinical social workers will...
In brief: MedPAC makes case for ramping up bid program, several DME product categories dropped from Trump tariffs
June 22, 2018HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - MedPAC's June 2018 report to Congress recommends that CMS include more DMEPOS products in the competitive bidding program as a way to improve Medicare's payment policies and reduce fraud and abuse.
“The CBP has successfully driven down the cost of DMEPOS products for the Medicare program and beneficiaries,” the report states. “Compared with payment rates in the year before the CBP, Medicare's payment rates for some of the highest expenditure products...
AAHomecare plans response to tariff proposal
April 19, 2018HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - AAHomecare plans to submit comments to the U.S. Trade Representative in response to a proposed tariff of 25% on medical equipment from China. The association and representatives from several manufacturer members have met to discuss the response. A sudden increase in costs for equipment made in China would cause significant hardship and disruption for HME providers and patients, says AAHomecare.