Legislation to prevent the application of bidding-derived pricing for CRT accessories was introduced in the Senate and House last week.  The legislation is needed due to CMS' attempt to apply competitive bid program pricing to CRT accessories effective January 1, 2016.  Congress has twice passed legislation to delay this measure, most recently through provisions in the CURES bill that hold off bidding-derived rates until July 1, 2017. The Senate bill, S. 486, introduced by lead sponsors...

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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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AAHOMECARE PRAISES VOTE, CALLS FOR QUICK ACTION Following a bipartisan vote in the House Ways and Means Committee that moved H.R. 284, the Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Improvement Act of 2015 forward, the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) released a statement praising the Committee’s work and pushing for quick action to pass the legislation. “Today’s mark-up of the Competitive Bidding Improvement Act in the House Ways and Means Committee is a critical step...

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