Competitive Bidding


AAHomecare Calls on Providers to Help Sept. Legislative Push

With a small legislative window opening next month, Association urges HME professionals to contact their lawmakers to make strong case for rural/non-bid relief.

More Providers Voice Rural Bid Frustrations

Additional HME businesses share impact of cuts with AAHomecare as advocates work to reverse bid expansion to rural, non-bid areas.

AAHomecare Continues Call for Provider Data

Providers urged to participate in the DME Cost Study and 2Q Audit Key survey to bolster industry’s case for bidding, audit reforms.

VIDEO: Providers Describe Impact of Cuts

As the July 1 cuts take hold, HME providers convey the impact that cuts are having on their patients and their ability to stay in business.

Editor's Note

Rekindling HME's Hope

July's setbacks to rural relief legislation were extremely frustrating, but the fight's far from over and there are reasons to feel optimistic.

Rural Relief

Business Solutions

The Rural Relief Rethink

After considerable and concerted lobbying work on the part of providers, industry leadership, Congressional champions and other HME advocates, relief from national expansion cuts for rural providers was stymied not once, but twice. What happened, and how can the industry reapproach advancing some form of rural relief?

Providers Urged to Take Cost Study Survey

Effort will not only help better benchmark the industry, but provide much-needed data on true impact of competitive bidding.

Senate Champions Confirm Continued Rural Relief Support

Industry’s allies in the upper chamber say they will help push rural relief when Congress returns to the Hill in Sept.

Heartbreak for Rural Relief

While Senate hotline looked to put legislation on a fast track to approval, a last-minute hold stalls out rural providers’ reprieve from full bid expansion cuts. Industry considers next steps.

Senate Likely to Approve Compromise Rural Relief

The Senate has put its version of the recently approved House rural relief bill on ‘hotline,’ which is typically a 24-hour fast track to approval.



Industry Leaders Urge Grassroots Support

As advocates work with Congressional leadership, providers, patients urged to lobby Senators and Representatives to compromise, advance rural relief to President by July 15.

CMS Rule Would Shift Bid Ceiling to 2015 Amounts

Bid limits on items covered by bid program would be based on fee schedule set prior to when bidding prices were set.

AAHomecare Study to Model Provider Costs

Effort will demonstrate the true cost of providing DMEPOS items to Medicare beneficiaries.

House Passes Rural Relief

While House sit-in stalled PADME vote, Representatives approve a delay that would push second round of expansion cuts to Sept. 30.

AAHomecare: Rural Relief Still Has a Chance

As July 1’s full rate cuts loom over rural providers, AAHomecare urges for continued grassroots advocacy as it might still secure a retroactive reform.

July 1 Cuts: Nantucket Island Gets Even More Remote

Cape Medical Supply says it can’t accept new patients on the island due to bid expansion.

CMS Details July 1 Rate Cuts

Full price reductions show an average reduction of more than 50% off the 2015 fee schedule for impacted categories.

House Sit-in Stymies PADME Vote

While Senate voted to approve delay to July 1 bid expansion cuts, the House firearms sit-in unexpectedly stalled action on House companion legislation to protect rural providers.

Senate Passes PADME

Lawmakers vote to approve legislation that will protect rural HME providers and their patients from bid expansion cuts.

GAO Study Foreshadows July 1 Cuts’ Impact on CRT

New report shows that the vast majority of wheelchair accessory spending goes to needed supplies for complex rehab patients; industry working to protect funding for those items from bid expansion.

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