Competitive Bidding Delay Sign-on Letter at 80 Names; Still Time to Build Support Today - Quick Action Needed!

We’ve received an unofficial count of 80 Representatives having joined the Congressional sign-on letter urging CMS to delay implementation of CB Round 2021 for at least one year.  

We're told the letter will close at noon today (Eastern time) - so please act now if you want to help make one more push.

Here’s some related materials to help you develop your message (a sample letter follows at the bottom):

• Include a link to the sign-on letter

• See our messaging on COVID-19 and CB for more perspective.

• Note that letter is closing today, so quick action is needed.  To sign onto the letter, your Representative should contact Kristin Flukey in Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers' office or Scott Stockwell in Rep. David Loebsack’s office.

For best results, you should send your letter to a staffer who handles healthcare.  You can call your Representative and ask for the email address of the healthcare staffer, or reach out to Gordon Barnes at gordonb@aahomecare.org for that info.  Not sure who your Representative is?  You can search using your ZIP code here.

SAMPLE LETTER -- Please add your own perspectives related to the issue.

Dear [name of Representative]:

I am urging you to join a currently circulating Congressional sign-on letter asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to delay the resumption of the Medicare Competitive Bidding Program for home medical equipment (HME) for at least one year. 

This program, which limits the number of HME suppliers serving Medicare beneficiaries in the 130 largest metropolitan areas in the county, must be paused to ensure adequate access to homecare during the COVID-19 pandemic.  CMS has the regulatory authority to delay the implementation of the next round, but has expressed its intention of moving forward with the program as originally scheduled in January 2021. 

 A delay in implementing the next round of the Bidding Program will allow the HME community to make its strongest possible contribution to beating back the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Almost every aspect of what the HME industry provides helps people avoid hospital, nursing-care, and long-term care facilities.  The individuals HME serves include some of the most vulnerable patient cohorts; reducing both short- and long-term stays in institutional settings for this population is essential in limiting the impact and shortening the duration of this pandemic. 

The text of the sign-on letter, which is being circulated by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) and Dave Loebsack (Iowa), can be seen here.  To sign this letter, which is closing this week, please contact Kristin Flukey in Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ office or Scott Stockwell in Representative David Loebsack’s office. The letter is set to close today, July 30 - so your quick action is needed.

Thank you for supporting this cost-effective, clinically proven, and patient-preferred mode of care, and helping protect the millions of Americans who rely on our products and services.

Sincerely, etc.