AAHomecare Seeks Alternative to Competitive Bidding Program

The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare), Arlington, Virginia, has created a task force to develop an alternative to the national Medicare competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS). The task force, which will include providers, manufacturers, and other industry stakeholders, including state and regional associations, plans to present its alternative program to Congress in 2009.

Tyler Wilson, AAHomecare president, was quoted in HME News as saying, "In a short while, the country is going to be engaged in a wide-ranging discussion about healthcare reform, and you can't talk about healthcare without talking about Medicare." He continued, "We want to be part of that discussion. We want to use it as an opportunity to question whether competitive bidding is the best pricing mechanism for this industry."

AAHomecare will also attempt to negotiate with CMS as CMS reshapes the bidding program according to mandates included in the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA). Wilson was quoted as saying that task force members will negotiate with open minds, but with the goal of developing a program that recognizes the unique nature of DMEPOS services. The alternative program should have "a healthy dose of political and economic reality," Wilson said. "We want to go into this with no preconceived directions," he continued. "But we also feel strongly that, for a long time, the services we provide have been shortchanged by the current pricing mechanism.

"Whatever proposal we come up with will have to be embraced by Congress and the next administration," he concluded. "I'm sure it will have to be, at a minimum, budget neutral."