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HME BUSINESS NEWS

Bill to address CBO issues identified with H.R. 6490; providers urged to contact past co-sponsors.

By David KopfJan 17, 2013

Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), who launched H.R. 6490, 2012’s lapsed bill that called for replacing competitive bidding with the market pricing program (MPP), into the 112th Congress, will reintroduce the bill into the 113th Congress, according to the American Association for Homecare.

Dr. Price also indicated to the association that he will ask a senior House Democrat to co-lead the legislation. He also said he remains committed to making the legislation budget neutral.

The new piece of legislation would be very similar to H.R. 6490, according to AAHomecare, but will address cost issues identified by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which assesses the budget implications of congressional legislation. Read more

ACCORDING TO HME BUSINESS:

Bidding Repeal Bill Unveiled in House

Rep. Velazquez launches H.R. 27 which calls for end of competitive bidding.

By David KopfJan 10, 2013

In the wake of H.R. 6490, the bill that would have replaced competitive bidding with the industry’s market pricing program, fizzling at the end of the last Congress, Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) has introduced H.R. 27, the “Small Supplier Fairness in Bidding Competition Act of 2013,” a bill that would repeal the Medicare bidding program, but that offers no budgetary pay-fors to compensate for removing the bid program.

The one-page legislation aims “to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare competitive acquisition program for durable medical equipment and prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS), and for other purposes.” It also notes that “In the case of any contract awarded under section 1847 of the Social Security Act before the date of the repeal of such section–the contract is terminated … .”

Velazquez is the ranking member of the House Small Business Committee, and the bill was referred to the Small Business Committee in addition to the Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees. Velazquez was the leader of the House Small Business Subcommittee hearing in May 2008, which questioned Medicare Policy Director Laurence Wilson, why unlicensed and out of area suppliers were awarded contracts. That hearing lead to congress repealing the original Round One in July 2008.

A statement from the American Association for Homecare said it was pleased that Rep. Velazquez “recognizes the serious problems with the bidding program” and said it was committed to working with the Congresswoman and other members of Congress to stop the program and replace it with the Market Pricing Program (MPP). Read more

 Washington Post/twincities.com/Posted:   01/05/2013 12:01:00 AM CST

The legislators who drafted Obamacare wrestled with health and spending issues, but here’s one consequence they didn’t foresee: a boom in demand for breast pumps that has left some retailers scrambling to keep up.

Tucked within the Affordable Care Act is a provision requiring insurance companies to cover breast pumps and visits to lactation consultants at no cost.

Other mandated benefits, including the requirement to pay for contraceptives, drew far more attention. But when health insurance plans began resetting rules Jan. 1 under the new terms, it was the breast-pump clause that took off with consumers.

Specialty suppliers stand to benefit if they are on insurers’ lists of approved distributors. Women who might have bought a breast pump at a local retailer are now likely to turn to their insurance plan. Read more