In the AAHomecare Newsroom you can find the latest press releases and homecare news alerts. Check back often for the latest developments and news. Media Contacts at the American Association for Homecare: Michael Reinemer (703-535-1881, email: michaelr@aahomecare.org) or Tilly Gambill (703-535-1896, email: tillyg@aahomecare.org).
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Physician Outraged By CMS Documentation Policy For years, homecare equipment providers have cited the many ramifications of the Medicare program’s ineffi-cient guidelines for documenting the medical necessity of power wheelchairs for beneficiaries. It is the root cause of claim deni-als that are frequently reversed, the target of excessive audits and it restricts access to power wheelchairs for patients. But rarely, until now, have physicians offered their perspective.
Patient Advocate Cites Benefits of Power Mobility
For decades, Lucy Spruill has been an advocate for people living with disabilities. She has been employed at United Cerebral Palsy of Pittsburgh for eleven years as Director of the CLASS Attendant Care Program and, more recently, as the Director of Public Policy and Community Relations. She served on the Board of Directors for eight years and during that time was Chair of the former Governmental Activities Committee. Ms. Spruill also served as the first ADA Coordinator for the City of Pittsburgh and has held several positions in community maternal and child health programs. Ms. Spruill, 65, has spina bifida and has needed mobility assistance for most of her life. She recently answered some questions about the challenges she has faced and those faced by Medicare beneficiaries in need of power mobility.
New Jersey Home Medical Providers Call on Congress to Preserve Homecare as an Option for Seniors and People with Disabilities Jackson, NJ, June 1, 2010 --- Providers of home medical equipment and services across New Jersey are proposing a fiscally responsible alternative to the mislabeled “competitive” bidding scheme currently under way in Medicare that will actually discourage competition, reduce access to care for many of the state’s 1.3 million Medicare beneficiaries, and put hundreds of New Jersey homecare providers out of business.
Medicare Policies Ignore Aging-at-Home Concept WASHINGTON, May 24, 2010—At a town hall meeting a year ago, President Obama said that home-based care could play a major role in controlling Medicare costs by keeping older people out of more expensive institutional care. “I actually think homecare ends up being cost-efficient in many cases rather than institutional care, and it helps keep people in their homes,” the president told his audience in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights last July.
GAO Confirms Payment Delays to Medical Equipment Providers; Questions Arise as to Whether CMS Can Implement Reforms WASHINGTON, May 18, 2010 --- A recent study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirms that the processing of Medicare reimbursement claims for medical equipment providers continues to be a problem despite the government’s efforts to implement reforms. The administrative shortcomings within the Medicare program have caused painful payment delays and other problems affecting medical equipment providers.
Mobility Matters - Power Mobility: Bringing Joy to Medicare Patients May 6, 2010 - Each morning, Margaret Adkins rolls from the bedroom in her apartment to the bathroom to freshen up. Next, she stops in the kitchen to prepare breakfast and then may visit with a friend in their senior citizens complex. Her morning activities are possible because of the power wheelchair that Medicare provides.
ARLINGTON, VA, March 16, 2010 --- Medicare has been touting the merits of the “competitive” bidding program for durable, or home medical equipment and services (HME) to convince Congress that the program is good for seniors. Unfortunately, proponents have conveyed misleading information and cherry-picked facts that exaggerate the benefits and ignore the severe shortcomings of the program.
Medicare Denies Wheelchair Claim for Elderly Amputee ARLINGTON, VA, April 22, 2010 --- The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) today released a Mobility Matters bulletin documenting the case of a 68-year-old amputee from Yucca Valley, Calif. whose Medicare claim for a power wheelchair was denied by the government.
ARLINGTON, VA, March 31, 2010 --- Does the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General advocate for specific policies, rather than objectively monitoring HHS programs and how well their goals are achieved? The homecare community is posing that question after the Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report last summer that the OIG acknowledged was flawed but still used the results to advocate this month for lowering Medicare reimbursement for power wheelchairs – even though reimbursements for these devices have already been cut by 37 percent over the past three years.
ARLINGTON, VA, March 23, 2010 --- The American Association for Homecare expressed alarm about provisions in the new health reform law that will harm homecare patients and providers. The cumulative impact of the provisions aimed at the home medical equipment sector will reduce the ability to provide the level of services that homecare patients and physicians expect in Medicare.
March 5, 2010 -- More than 250 providers of home medical equipment and services from across the U.S. met with members of Congress this week during the American Association for Homecare’s Washington Legislative Conference. Homecare advocates discussed the value and cost-effectiveness of home-based care, the race-to-the-bottom impact on services, and disruptions to patient care that will be triggered Medicare’s controversial “competitive” bidding program. Speakers at the conference included Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Congressmen Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) and Jason Altmire (D-Pa.).
ARLINGTON, VA, February 26, 2010 -- Several hundred home medical equipment and service providers from across the U.S. will meet in Washington March 2 and 3 to discuss with Congress the value and cost-effectiveness of homecare. Speakers at the conference including Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Congressmen Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) and Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) will discuss healthcare reform legislation and Medicare policies.
COLUMBUS, OH, February 5, 2010 --In a telephone briefing for media yesterday, Congressman Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), along with Ohio homecare providers, and a local homecare patient, highlighted the negative impacts of the controversial Medicare “competitive” bidding program on home medical equipment providers and the patients who rely on their services.
ARLINGTON, VA, January 28, 2010 -- The durable medical equipment and service sector will not be included in discussions at a federal “summit” to identify ways of preventing Medicare fraud. The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare), which represents that sector, objects to being excluded from the discussions, which are taking place today, January 28.
ARLINGTON, VA, January 27, 2010 -- Homecare providers across the United States are donating truckloads of durable medical equipment to the people of Haiti. Following the devastating earthquake, the home medical equipment community recognized the critical need for items ranging from hospital beds and canes to oxygen concentrators and other medical equipment and supplies.
ARLINGTON, VA, January 7, 2010 -- A federal report released last week on Medicare claims for power wheelchairs confirms that the regulatory documentation requirements are confusing, onerous, and must be improved, says the American Association for Homecare, the nation’s largest association representing providers of durable medical equipment and services, including wheelchairs.
ARLINGTON, VA, December 8, 2009 --- The American Association for Homecare has worked with Congress and Medicare to address flaws in the competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment, some of which are discussed in a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. However, deep structural and design flaws still remain in this bidding program. Those flaws will reduce seniors’ access to quality care at home and will put thousands of competitive homecare providers out of business.
ARLINGTON, VA, November 25, 2009 --- The American Association for Homecare endorses the new “Prevent Health Care Fraud Act of 2009,” S. 2128, which is designed to substantially improve tools and resources available to prevent fraud in Medicare. The bill was introduced by Sen. George LeMieux (R-Fla.).
HARRISBURG, PA, November 17, 2009 – The Pennsylvania Association of Medical
Suppliers (PAMS) hosted a media conference call today where congressmen and representatives of Pennsylvania patients and businesses spoke out against the controversial Medicare “competitive” bidding program for home medical equipment and services. Over the past year, numerous experts have said that this competitive bidding process — which is scheduled to begin in several metropolitan areas this year — could force small medical equipment providers nationwide out of the marketplace and make it harder for the millions of patients who rely on homecare to access the specialized equipment and services that they need.
ARLINGTON, VA., November 16, 2009 – During November – National Homecare Month – the American Association for Homecare celebrates the thousands of dedicated professionals who provide cost-effective and consumer-preferred homecare. Thanks to home medical equipment and service providers, millions of seniors and people with disabilities will share Thanksgiving and other holidays with their families in the comfort of their homes.
ARLINGTON, VA, October28, 2009 – Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member, on behalf of the American Association for Homecare’s more than 4,000 member locations serving Medicare beneficiaries in every state in the nation, we appreciate the opportunity to submit this statement to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary regarding the need to eliminate waste and fraud in Medicare and Medicaid.
ARLINGTON, VA, October 20, 2009– The American Association for Homecare praised a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives for backing introduction of H.R. 3790, a bill to eliminate the controversial, deeply flawed “competitive” bidding program for durable medical equipment and services in Medicare.
Watch Replay of C-SPAN Appearance by Joel Marx Discussing Value of HME
ARLINGTON, VA, September 5, 2009 – AAHomecare board member Joel Marx discussed the impact of health care reform on home medical equipment on C-SPAN's "Washington Journal" program on Saturday, September 5. He also spoke about how health care reform affects his business and clients, and recent claims about the industry. Marx, CEO of Medical Service Companies in Cleveland, appeared as a representative of the American Association for Homecare.
ARLINGTON, VA, September 3, 2009 – In a study released yesterday, the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) ignored the substantial costs of services related to providing power wheelchairs, including complex rehab, to seniors and people with disabilities who require mobility assistance. The study is titled “Power Wheelchairs in the Medicare Program: Supplier Acquisition Costs and Services” and dated August 2009.
ARLINGTON, VA, August 10, 2009 – The American Association for Homecare hosted a media conference call this afternoon, unveiling a new economic study that exposes severe flaws in the Medicare competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment and services. The bidding program is set to re-start this October. The study, released today by Brian O’Roark, PhD, of Robert Morris University, found that the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services drastically misread the marketplace and that the current competitive bidding program reduces overall competition and hurts the quality of patient care.
American Association for Homecare Supports Crackdown on Medicare Scammers in Houston, Boston, New York, Louisiana ARLINGTON, VA, July 30, 2009 – The American Association for Homecare strongly supports the recent Medicare Fraud Strike Force crackdown on Medicare fraud in Houston, Boston, New York and Louisiana. Medicare fraud takes vital resources away from seniors and patients. Reducing fraud and abuse in Medicare is an effective way to reduce healthcare costs and improve quality of care. The American Association for Homecare urges Congress to adopt its Anti-Fraud Legislative Plan, which includes tough measures to eliminate fraud and abuse before it starts.
American Association for Homecare Sets the Record Straight About Recent
Home Medical Equipment Issues in the News ARLINGTON, VA, July 28, 2009 – In response to recent media stories that perpetuate
misperceptions about the home medical equipment and services (durable medical equipment) in Medicare and about the competitive bidding program for medical equipment, the American Association for Homecare has developed a “Myth vs. Reality” checklist to help inform the public, the media and members of Congress.
Sen. Tom Daschle, Rep. Jason Altmire, Healthcare Experts Tout Homecare as
Cost-Effective Solution in the Healthcare Reform Process ARLINGTON, VA, July 23, 2009 –During a roundtable discussion on Capitol Hill on
Tuesday, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and Blue Dog Democrat Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) stressed the cost-effective role that homecare can play in the reform of the U.S. healthcare system. The roundtable also addressed the controversial competitive bidding program for home medical equipment and services. The American Association for Homecare hosted the event, which was attended by congressional staff and media.
Senator Tom Daschle, Rep. Jason Altmire, Healthcare Experts Will Discuss Role of Homecare in Healthcare Reform at Capitol Hill Roundtable, July 21, 2009, 10 AM EDT ARLINGTON, VA., July 16, 2009 – The American Association for Homecare invites the media to join Senator Tom Daschle, Representative Jason Altmire (D-Pa.), and healthcare representatives at a Capitol Hill roundtable discussion on the role of home-based care in healthcare reform. The roundtable will focus on how home medical equipment and services align with the goal of expanding access to and controlling costs of medical care. This discussion will touch on topics such as the roles of home care in the continuum of care, the transition to post-acute care, reductions in rehospitalization, and reduction in the long-term care population in nursing homes.
Medtrade Expands Focus on Government Relations, Advocacy, and Education July 1, 2009 — The Medtrade shows, starting with the Atlanta show on October 12-15, will be intensifying their focus on advocacy and government affairs and on continuing education and training for professionals in the home medical equipment sector (HME). Over time, the shows will also work to draw more healthcare professionals and consumers of HME into Medtrade programs. This will help in the effort to get more of the homecare community involved in lobbying programs. Medtrade shows are produced by Nielsen Business Media and are endorsed and promoted by the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare).
Home Medical Sector Will Work with Congress to Eliminate Flawed “Competitive” Bidding Program April 21, 2009 — The American Association for Homecare expressed dismay that Medicare is pushing forward with a deeply flawed “competitive” bidding program for home medical equipment and services. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on April 17 that it would not delay the April 18, 2009 effective date of the regulation implementing the program.
84 Members of Congress, Led by Rep. Betty Sutton, Urge Policymakers to Rescind Controversial Medicare “Competitive” Bidding Rule before April 18 Deadline April 16, 2009 – In a letter sent yesterday, a bipartisan group of 84 members of Congress urged the White House Office of Health Reform, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to review and rescind the controversial “competitive” bidding rule before it is implemented on April 18, 2009. Representatives signing the letter include Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Fl), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and John Lewis (D-Ga.).
Medtrade, American Association for Homecare Embark on New Agreement; Long-term Relationship Will Benefit HME Sector March 20, 2009 - Today Nielsen Business Media, producer of Medtrade and Medtrade Spring, and the American Association for Homecare, the national trade association that represents the entire home medical equipment community, announced they have signed a new 15-year contract that enhances their current partnership. The new agreement will offer additional value to AAHomecare by guaranteeing substantial monetary support to the Association’s advocacy programs.
American Association for Homecare Urges Tom Daschle and Congress to Rescind Controversial 11th-Hour Bush-Medicare Bidding Rule ARLINGTON, VA, January, 23, 2009 – In a letter sent today to Health and Human Services Secretary-Designate Tom Daschle, Chairman Max Baucus, Chairman Charles Rangel, and Chairman Henry Waxman, American Association for Homecare President Tyler J. Wilson urged policymakers to review and rescind the controversial Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) “competitive” bidding rule that was issued in the waning hours of the Bush Administration.
GEORGE WILL COLUMN MISGUIDED IN TOUTING “COMPETITIVE BIDDING” AS A MEDICARE SOLUTION
Controversial Bidding Program is Actually Anti-Competitive and Lowers Quality of Care and Access to Care for Seniors and Disabled ARLINGTON, VA, January, 8, 2009 – A congressionally mandated “competitive bidding” initiative for home medical equipment – already the slowest-rising cost in Medicare – intended to reduce homecare costs will only succeed in reducing the quality of, and access to, care for patients and will drive up costs elsewhere in Medicare. Washington Post columnist George F. Will’s recent column on healthcare overlooks the inherent flaws in the bidding program, and fails to recognize that homecare providers already offer what Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt has called a “radically more efficient” and cost-effective setting for healthcare than institutional care.
AAHomecare Response to Sen. Baucus' Healthcare Plan November 12, 2008 - The American Association for Homecare applauds U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.) for proposing healthcare policies that “shift the focus from institutional care to services provided in the home and community” to improve quality of care and reduce costs. But the Association strongly disagrees with the idea, also proposed today in the Baucus healthcare plan, that competitive bidding is an anti-fraud program and is a sound payment methodology for home medical equipment and services in Medicare.
Because of Homecare, Millions Will Share Thanksgiving at Home with Family November 10, 2008- Thanks to home medical equipment providers, millions of seniors and people with disabilities will share Thanksgiving and other holidays in the comfort of their homes. During November, which is National Homecare Month, the American Association for Homecare celebrates the thousands of dedicated professionals who provide cost-effective and consumer-preferred homecare.
American Association for Homecare Pushes for More Effective Anti-Fraud Actions for Medicare October 6, 2008 - The American Association for Homecare supports anti-fraud efforts announced today by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency in charge of Medicare. However, the Association believes that even more must be done to keep criminals out of Medicare.
AAHomecare Seeks to Protect Taypayers Dollars from Fraud
August 25, 2008 - The American Association for Homecare has advocated for strengthening effective anti-fraud initiatives for decades because the profession believes in quality care for Medicare beneficiaries and fiscal responsibility within the Medicare program.
American Association for Homecare Favors Tougher Approach to Fighting Fraud and Opposes Delay in Medicare Accreditation Deadline for Durable Medical Equipment
July 25, 2008 - The American Association for Homecare opposes the decision by CMS to cancel the accreditation deadline for durable medical equipment providers in the 70 metropolitan areas throughout the U.S. designated for Round Two of the Medicare competitive bidding program. “We do not favor government delays to the accreditation requirement,” said Tyler J. Wilson, AAHomecare President. “Accreditation for this industry is already 30 years overdue. If the federal government wants to get serious about preventing fraud and preventing theft of taxpayer dollars, it should use tools like accreditation more aggressively and use its ample, existing authority much more effectively.”
Medtrade Strengthens the HME Industry, Says American Association for Homecare July 18, 2008 - Medtrade strengthens the homecare industry by providing a significant portion of the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) annual budget, which in turn supports the advocacy voice of homecare in Washington. This fall, Medtrade will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, October 27 through October 30, 2008.
Homecare Industry Urges Congress to Overturn Veto of Medicare Bill, which Preserves Access to Home Medical Equipment and Saves Taxpayers Billions
July 15, 2008 - It is unfortunate that President Bush has chosen to veto H.R. 6331, “The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008.” This legislation would save taxpayers billions of dollars through reduced spending on home medical equipment and it would help seniors and people with disabilities to continue receive quality home medical equipment and services through Medicare. We urge Congress to override the President’s veto so that Medicare beneficiaries can live with dignity in their own homes.
July 9, 2008 - Durable medical equipment manufacturers and providers are just as appalled as lawmakers and Medicare officials at the revelations that scam artists used identification numbers from deceased doctors to bilk millions of dollars from the Medicare system.
American Association for Homecare Urges Senate to Pass Medicare Bill, H.R. 6331, which Includes Reforms to Medicare Bidding System; Statement from the Association June 26, 2008 - Competition in Medicare should be fair and it should not reduce access to critical home medical equipment and services for seniors or people with disabilities in Medicare. Congress has developed a bipartisan proposal that reforms and improves the competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment and those improvements are incorporated into H.R. 6331, the Medicare package that passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 355 to 59. The Senate is expected to vote on H.R. 6331 as early as this evening.
Errors Plague Medicare Competitive Bidding Program April 4, 2008 - A new Medicare bidding program for durable medical equipment (DME) scheduled to be implemented in 10 metropolitan areas starting on July 1, 2008 will put many DME providers out of business and will disrupt services for many of the three million seniors and people with disabilities living in those areas.
AAHomecare Asks HHS Secretary Leavitt to Suspend Round One Implementation of Medicare Bidding Program February 22, 2008 - The American Association for Homecare sent a letter today to Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt recommending that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services suspend implementation of the first round of Medicare competitive bidding for durable medical equipment until a number of concerns can be answered. A recent study by two economists at Robert Morris University found that the bidding program as currently structured is likely to result in less competition, higher prices, and lower quality of care.
Preserving Patient Access to Durable Medical Equipment at Home Is Aim of American Association for Homecare Conference, March 4-6, 2008 February 26, 2008 - Durable medical equipment providers, patients, and other stakeholders will gather in Washington March 4-6, 2008 for the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) Washington Legislative Conference at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel. Participants will urge members of Congress to preserve patient access to the nation’s homecare infrastructure and prevent additional deep cuts to Medicare reimbursement rates for home oxygen therapy, wheelchairs, and other home medical services and equipment.
President’s 2009 Budget Would Weakens Seniors’ Access to DME February 4, 2008 - The American Association for Homecare opposes provisions in the President’s proposed 2009 Medicare budget that would weaken the nation’s homecare infrastructure, which provides medically prescribed oxygen, wheelchairs, and other durable medical equipment and therapies to millions of older and disabled Americans.
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