Tag: Cara Bachenheimer
Catheter proposal is ‘huge step forward’
June 14, 2024Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON – CMS’s plan to “explode the codes” for intermittent urinary catheters will better reflect available technologies, says Cara Bachenheimer, who leads the Government Affairs Practice of Brown & Fortunato.
CMS in May proposed discontinuing two existing HCPCS codes for intermittent urinary catheters, A4351 and A4352, and establishing five new codes, in response to a request from AAHomecare and its manufacturer members, who comprise the Intermittent Catheter...
B&F's Bachenheimer unpacks proposed bidding methodology
July 20, 2018Guest Commentary
WASHINGTON - CMS's recently issued proposed rule proposes two key improvements for the competitive bidding program: lead item pricing and clearing price to establish the single payment amounts (SPAs).Lead item pricingCMS is proposing to implement lead item pricing for all product categories, a concept CMS introduced in its 2016 final rule and that has been supported by auction economists and the industry. Under lead item pricing, suppliers bid on one item in a product category. This one item, the...
AAH taps Bachenheimer for general counsel
May 10, 2018HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - AAHomecare has retained Brown & Fortunato to provide a range of legal and advisory services. Long-time HME industry advocate Cara Bachenheimer, who is set to open a Washington, D.C., lobbying office for the Amarillo, Texas-based law firm in June, will take the lead role representing the association's regulatory and legislative priorities. “I have had a front-row view of Cara's work on HME public policy issues over the years, and I have always come away impressed by her depth of...
Bachenheimer on the good fight
March 30, 2018Liz Beaulieu, Editor
WASHINGTON - Cara Bachenheimer has a new gig that allows her to double-down on her efforts advocating for the HME industry.Bachenheimer is opening a Washington, D.C., office for Amarillo, Texas-based law firm Brown & Fortunato on June 1, a move that will expand her legislative and regulatory work beyond Invacare, where she has worked for more than 14 years.Here's what Bachenheimer, who will count Invacare as her first client, had to say about why lobbying is more important than ever before.HME...
Bachenheimer opens DC office for Brown & Fortunato
March 23, 2018HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Cara Bachenheimer, a long-time advocate of the HME and complex rehab industries, is opening up a Washington, D.C., office for Amarillo, Texas-based Brown & Fortunato. Bachenheimer has worked for Invacare, most recently as senior vice president of government relations, for more than 14 years. Invacare will be Bachenheimer's first client. “I appreciate Invacare's continued support as I step away to help other businesses understand the impact of and help share future healthcare legislation...
Bid bill update: Co-sponsors pile on
November 17, 2017Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON - Industry stakeholders have kicked efforts to gather co-sponsors for H.R. 4229 into high gear and have no plans of slowing down, they say.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., introduced the legislation Nov. 2, with 53 original co-sponsors. At press time, there were 75 total co-sponsors.
“Right now, this is a good grassroots opportunity to show that there is an urgent need and a feeling in Congress that we have to fix this problem long term,” said Tom...
Stakeholders grease wheels for possible action in September
July 28, 2017Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON - Industry stakeholders have legislative language being vetted that would freeze payment rates at the Jan. 1, 2016, amounts, and fix the so-called “double-dip” for oxygen payments.The news comes on the eve of the August recess, a time when HME providers need to turn up the heat on lawmakers while they're back in their home districts.“Then we can say, 'Here's your August meeting agenda,'” said Tom Ryan, president and CEO of AAHomecare. “Get them to understand...
Legislative update: One letter down, one more to go
June 16, 2017Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WATERLOO, Iowa - Fresh on the heels of a successful letter in the House of Representatives seeking competitive bidding relief, industry stakeholders say they now have their sights on a Senate version.
“We hope to have Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D, come up with a letter in the next couple of weeks,” John Gallagher, vice president of government relations for The VGM Group, told attendees at the Heartland Conference last week. “(These letters) give HHS...
Bid relief 'in the mix'
November 18, 2016Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON - Amid the chaos in Washington, D.C., industry stakeholders have been crisscrossing the Hill to ensure relief from Medicare's competitive bidding program doesn't get lost in the shuffle.Members of AAHomecare, The VGM Group and others made at least 16 visits in two days last week, and also have spoken with the office of House Speaker Paul Ryan.“The feedback from Speaker Ryan's staff is that it's in the mix, but they can't give us a specific vehicle or any clarity to the issue,”...
Trump, man of mystery
November 11, 2016Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON - Industry stakeholders are looking ahead at what a Trump presidency could mean for HME.
“If it was anyone other than Donald Trump, I would be able to tell you a lot more,” said Cara Bachenheimer, senior vice president of government relations for Invacare. “He's not a traditional Republican. It's unclear what his congressional agenda is and what his proposals really mean.”
What is clear is that Trump, a businessman with no political experience, struck...