Washington Alert, June 19, 2009
American Association for Homecare
- House Bill Would End First-Month Purchase Option for Power Wheelchairs: Urge Congress to Preserve It
- Wheelchair and Oxygen Users Should Ask Congress to Prevent Cuts
House Bill Would End First-Month Purchase Option for Power Wheelchairs: Urge Congress to Preserve It
A discussion draft of a healthcare reform bill released today by House Democrats would eliminate the first-month purchase option for all power wheelchairs. The American Association for Homecare has strongly opposed the elimination of that choice and urges providers and consumers to ask Congress to preserve that choice. This position was one of the Association's key issues during the Washington Legislative Conference earlier this month.
While there was no cut to oxygen mentioned in the House bill, AAHomecare believes that a cut will emerge later in the legislative process as a way of paying for health reform. The Association believes a similar threat of reductions in oxygen reimbursement exists in Senate proposals.
In hopes of delaying the inevitable protests from affected healthcare sectors, legislators in both the House and Senate have not tipped their hands about all of their proposed cuts and financing options. We anticipate that more details on financing options to pay for healthcare reform will be released after the July 4th congressional recess.
Wheelchair and Oxygen Users Should Ask Congress to Prevent Cuts
Oxygen and wheelchair users should weigh in on this issue with their Senators and Representatives in Washington. Suggested discussion points are attached.
It's important for patients as well as providers to speak up in opposition to these cuts. The message for patients should be simple and should relate to their own situations.
Attached are some suggested talking points that providers can share with patients for use in contacting their Senators and Representatives in Washington. It's important to make sure that the points are factual and do not create undue alarm among beneficiaries.
Providers can make the following points to their Senators and Representatives in the House:
- Spare any further cuts to home medical equipment categories such as oxygen or wheelchairs.
- Remember that home medical care is cost-effective, preferred by patients, and that good home-based care achieves a chief goal for health reform - fewer re-hospitalizations.
- Recognize that home medical equipment has been cut repeatedly in recent years, including the 9.5 percent cut that took effect on January 1, 2009. Home oxygen was cut 27 percent this year when the 36-month cap is factored in.
- Power wheelchairs were cut by approximately 26 percent in 2007 and incurred another cut of 9.5 percent, effective January 1, 2009 as a result of the delay to competitive bidding.
- Stop the "competitive" bidding program, which has proven to be deeply flawed and anti-competitive.
- Remember that home medical equipment is one of the slowest-growing sectors of Medicare in terms of spending (0.75 percent annually in 2007).
American Association for Homecare
2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 725
Arlington, VA 22202
703-836-6263
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American Association for Homecare
2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 725
Arlington, VA 22202
For more information, please call AAHomecare at (703) 836-6263.
www.aahomecare.org
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