Thursday, January 20, 2011 AAHomecare Asks Obama to Review “Patchwork” of Ineffective HME Regulations

Yesterday, the American Association for Homecare asked President Obama to review “onerous and outdated regulations that hamper job creation and threaten access to quality home medical equipment (HME) and services under the Medicare program.” AAHomecare sent Obama a letter in response to the President’s January 18 executive order, “Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review,” which solicits examples of problematic regulations. View the executive order here.

The Association asked specifically that the President examine “policies related to competitive bidding for durable medical equipment, respiratory therapy…, power mobility devices, diabetes testing equipment and supplies, Medicare audits and anti-fraud and abuse initiatives.”

The full text of the letter follows.

The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I am writing on behalf of the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) to express our keen interest in working with your Administration to review onerous and outdated regulations that hamper job creation and threaten access to quality home medical equipment (HME) and services under the Medicare program. We believe that in complying with your Executive Order, Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review, we should take a holistic approach to the Medicare HME benefit and specifically look at issues such as policies related to competitive bidding for durable medical equipment, respiratory therapy (including home oxygen and sleep devices), power mobility devices, diabetes testing equipment and supplies, Medicare audits and anti-fraud and abuse initiatives.

AAHomecare is the only national trade association representing every line of medical equipment and services within the homecare community. The Association represents health care providers and manufacturers who serve the medical needs of millions of Americans who require durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) such as home oxygen therapy, mobility assistive technologies, diabetes therapy and other supplies, sleep therapy technologies, inhalation drug therapy, home infusion, and other home medical equipment, therapies, services, and supplies in their homes. Our membership reflects a cross-section of the homecare community, including national, regional and local providers.

The Association believes that there are a number of regulations that relate to the HME sector that need close scrutiny. These regulations, created over a 25-year period, have created a patchwork of rules that could be better designed to improve the quality of care furnished by HME providers with the goal of caring for individuals in their homes rather than in more costly institutional settings like nursing homes and hospitals.

AAHomecare looks forward to working with you and your Administration to address ineffective and outdated rules and the hassle factor these regulations create on HME providers that inhibit job growth and quality of care. The Association will provide you with more detailed comments in the near future and I am available to meet with you or your staff to discuss these concerns further.

If you have questions about the Association’s concerns, please contact Jay Witter at (703) 535-1884 or jayw@aahomecare.org.

Sincerely,

Tyler J. Wilson
President