Statement on the confirmation of HHS Secretary from Tom Ryan, president and CEO of the American Association for Homecare:   "AAHomecare and the home medical equipment (HME) community are gratified to see Alex Azar confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). His previous high-level experience at HHS and background as an effective and accomplished health care executive makes him uniquely qualified to help resolve significant challenges facing our nation’s...

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HELP US BUILD THE FUTURE OF HME MON, MARCH 27, 2017 WASHINGTON, DC Each year the HME community comes together in Washington, D.C. to advocate and strengthen relationships in Congress. It is a critical gathering, made stronger by greater numbers of participants demonstrating how important our relatively small share of the Medicare budget is to the entire healthcare continuum. While we made progress in 2016 convincing more members of Congress that current Medicare rates for DME aren’t...

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The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) is calling on the contractors administering TRICARE military health plans nationwide to reprocess claims for home medical equipment for the last six months of 2016 on account of provisions in recent healthcare legislation affecting Medicare reimbursement rates. Last year’s CURES Act required the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to retroactively adjust payments for home medical equipment to rates in effect before July 1. ...

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This week the House of Representatives passed the 21st Century Cures Act, by a vote of 392 to 26. The bill is expected to move to the Senate next week and the Obama Administration has already weighed in expressing support for the legislation. The legislation sets the stage for possible future regulatory relief for rural providers, as it requires HHS to reissue payment regulations for items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2019, with adjustments to the non-bid fee schedule in...

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The latest version of the 21st Century CURES bill to be considered this week on Capitol Hill includes language that would retroactively roll back the second round of Medicare competitive bidding-derived cuts for rural and non-bid area home medical equipment (HME) providers for six months, as well as a provision to further delay the application of bidding-derived pricing for complex rehab technology accessories for an additional six months. The proposed legislation: Extends the transition...

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(3RD INSTALLMENT: HOME MEDICAL EQUIPMENT PROVIDERS OVERCOME MAJOR STORMS TO HELP PATIENTS) Home medical equipment (HME) suppliers have a long track record of making sure their patients get the products and services they need during natural disasters.  August’s catastrophic floods in much of Louisiana provides the latest examples of the extraordinary efforts undertaken by companies to serve their communities in extremely challenging conditions. Apria Healthcare’s employees in...

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Home medical equipment suppliers have a long track record of making sure their patients get the products and services they need during natural disasters.  The recent catastrophic floods stemming from October’s Hurricane Matthew hitting the Carolinas, along with stories from the August severe flooding in Louisiana, provide compelling examples of the extraordinary efforts undertaken by companies to serve their communities in extremely challenging conditions. This remarkable effort outlined...

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Do you know a champion for the HME profession? The Association is now accepting nominations for an AAHomecare member who has made an exceptional contribution to the homecare sector throughout their career. Attributes that will be recognized include:   A longstanding record of service within the homecare community; Embodiment of the spirit of caring and generosity which are the hallmarks of this profession;  Active membership and engagement in the American Association for Homecare. While...

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C.N.Y. Medical Products is one of many home medical equipment (HME) companies in New York, and across the country, who did not receive a contract in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) competitive bidding program. “We have a large retail store and when Medicare customers come in we have to turn them away. It makes no sense!” says Lynn Komuda, vice president of C.N.Y. Medical Products in Syracuse. “I have a sense of shame having the equipment right in front of them...

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AAHOMECARE APPLAUDS SENS. THUNE AND HEITKAMP FOR INTRODUCING THE PATIENT ACCESS TO DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT ACT FRI, MARCH 18, 2016 WASHINGTON, DC Legislation to delay a new round of cuts to rural and non-bid area suppliers and provide additional fixes to the Medicare competitive bidding program for home medical equipment (HME) was introduced late yesterday in the Senate.  The lead sponsors for the Patient Access to Durable Medical Equipment Act (S. 2736), are Senators John...

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