Bid relief bill drops ahead of Legislative Conference
By HME News Staff
Updated 2:34 PM CDT, Tue September 19, 2023
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WASHINGTON - Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, and Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., have introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would provide a 90/10 blended Medicare reimbursement rate for most home medical equipment products in competitive bidding areas for all of 2024.
The DMEPOS Relief Act of 2023 (H.R. 5555) would also extend the current 75/25 blended rate currently in effect in rural/non-CBA areas through 2024.
“This legislation provides a long-overdue relief for HME suppliers serving Medicare beneficiaries in CBAs, who have been saddled with reimbursement rates that have not seen a meaningful, market-based adjustment since 2015,” said Tom Ryan, AAHomecare president and CEO. “These modest rate increases will help stabilize the HME supplier base and provide better access to high-quality home-based care for millions of Americans and their caregivers.”
The bill is a companion to S. 1294, introduced in April by Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., and Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.
Both bills will be at the forefront of AAHomecare’s Virtual Washington Legislative Conference, which takes place tomorrow, Sept. 20.
“We need policymakers to understand the critical need to make sure our industry operates under a sustainable rate structure to meet the needs of a rapidly growing senior cohort,” Ryan said.
AAHomecare has published an issue brief with more information. The association will also share additional information and updated grassroots advocacy guidance after the conference.
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