Corporations stepping up

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - AAHomecare has increased efforts to bring more corporate partners on board and it's paying off.

“We haven't had too many new corporate members over the last several years,” said Tom Ryan, AAHomecare president and CEO. “These are members who want to put more of their dollars beyond the (revenue-based dues category) to show extra support for the association.”

In September, Drive Medical became the sixth company this year to join the ranks. Other corporate partners include Brightree, Invacare, ResMed, Pride, Philips Respironics and Medtrade, as well as providers like Apria, Byram and Shield. Sponsorships are available at bronze, silver, gold and platinum levels, and range from $40,000 to $95,000. In return, corporate partners receive full member benefits and added exposure for their brands.

“I hope that our providers, at the end of the day, will make buying decisions based on these people that support us,” said Ryan.

The support AAHomecare's corporate partners provide goes beyond financial support. Many have lobbyists working in Washington and offer support in other ways, said Ryan.

“We are trying to engage the industry and energize them for their time and their talent,” he said. “We meet frequently and discuss our issues and see where they align with us on some of their key points. We also see a lot of these companies put a lot of time and talent into our committees.”

For Brightree, which became a corporate partner in July, joining forces with AAHomecare was also a way to support its provider customers, says COO Chris Watson.

“We felt, given a lot of the challenges that the industry faces today—from audits to reduced reimbursement to new payment models—that (it was important) to support initiatives that are focused on the overall health of our industry,” she said. hme