McMorris Rodgers seeks more co-sponsors
By HME News Staff
Updated Thu November 9, 2017
WASHINGTON - A “Dear Colleague” letter asking representatives to sign on to H.R. 4229 is being circulated by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa.
The pair introduced the bill with 53 original co-sponsors Nov. 2. It currently has 58 co-sponsors.
H.R. 4229 would extend a retroactive delay of a second round of reimbursement cuts from Jan. 1, 2017, to Jan. 1, 2019, as well as address a “double-dip” reimbursement cut to oxygen therapy. The original delay was passed per a provision in the 21st Century Cures Act.
The letter states: This equipment cannot save lives if it isn't made available to those who need it most, especially in rural communities where we know barriers to access healthcare already exist.
A recent survey by Dobson DaVanzo & Associates and commissioned by AAHomecare, found that more than 60% of case managers saw an increase in the number of Medicare beneficiaries who have developed medical complications, received emergency care or were readmitted to a hospital due to issues related to obtaining proper and/or timely access to DME.
Stakeholders are urging providers to reach out to their members of Congress and ask them to cosponsor the bill.
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