AMEPA Executive Director, Sean Schwinghammer, was in Washington DC yesterday working with AAHomecare's staff to gain additional signers on the Altmire/Hall letter. We can get 200+ signers on this letter, but calls must be made today.

There is no excuse and nothing more important that you need to do for your business today, than to contact your legislator. The following legislators received information from Sean Schwinghammer yesterday and are not yet signed onto the letter:

Rep. Xavier Becerra - Health LA/Contact: Sean McCluskie

Rep. Brian Bilbray - Health LA/Contact: Gary Kline

Rep. Ken Calvert - Health LA/Contact: Christopher Marklund

Rep. Lois Capps - Health LA/Contact: Amy Fisher

Rep. Judy Chu - Health LA/Contact: Bigelow

Rep. Jim Costa - Health LA/Contact: Jacqlyn Schneider

Rep. Susan Davis- Health LA/Contact: Spencer Young

Rep. Sam Farr- Health LA/Contact: Rochelle Dornatt

Rep. Bob Filner - Health LA/Contact: Elena Keydel

Rep. Elton Gallegly - Health LA/Contact: Cecilla Daly

Rep. Michael Honda - Health LA/Contact: Gideon Bragin

Rep. Duncan Hunter - Health LA/Contact: Dawn Alden

Rep. Darryl Issa - Health LA/Contact: Veronica Wong

Rep. Tom McClintock - Health LA/Contact: Kristen Glenn

Rep. Buck McKeon - Health LA/Contact: Chris Perry

Rep. George Miller- Health LA/Contact: Amy Peake

Rep. Gary Miller - Health LA/Contact: Megan McCormack

Rep. Grace Napolitano - Health LA/Contact: Anne Romero

Rep. Devin Nunes - Health LA/Contact: Andrew House

Rep. Laura Richardson - Health LA/Contact: Lucinda Richard

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard - Health LA/Contact: Debbie Jessup

Rep. Edward Royce- Health LA/Contact: Darrin Schrader

Rep. Adam Schiff - Health LA/Contact: Aaron Baird

Rep. Brad Sherman - Health LA/Contact: Rebecca Korman

Rep. Maxine Waters - Health LA/Contact:Kethleen Sengstock

Rep. Diane Watson - Health LA/Contact: Vrunda Rathod

Rep. Henry Waxman - Health LA/Contact: Matthew Connolly

Rep. Lynn Woolsey - Health LA/Contact: Katie Rodriguez

Simply call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121, they will connect you to your U.S. Representatives office. The following is a sample email that can be sent as a followup and can be used for talking points when you call:

Please ask the Congressman / Congresswoman to sign on to the Dear Colleague Letter from Congressmen Altmire (D-PA) and Hall (R-TX), asking for transparency in the Medicare Bidding Program in Durable Medical Equipment. 

The Center for Medicare Services (CMS) released the single payment amounts for the DMEPOS re-bid in July 2010, not in June as was scheduled. We are advised, however, that CMS does not intend to release the names of the bidders upon which these prices were based until September, meaning it could well be October before we are informed. The Altmire/Hall letter asks for the names of those who were offered contracts today, not in October when it may be too late to address the problems of the re-bid.

During the initial Round One bidding process in 2008, a significant number of providers who were awarded contracts could not deliver services commensurate with their bids, creating scenarios where beneficiary access to quality home medical equipment and services would be reduced. These problems included contracts awarded to inexperienced or non-local providers, unlicensed providers, and providers who were financially bankrupt. The problems associated with this process ultimately led Congress to pass legislation delaying the program in order for CMS to address these issues.  

Hospitals, physicians and elders who rely on home medical equipment services will be dependent on the winning bid companies for critical in-home products such as Oxygen and Respiratory Assist Devices.  The healthcare community will again have very serious problems if it turns out once more that these companies are unable to provide sufficient access to quality items and services or do not have the financial ability to operate under the new contracted rates.

Please contact Cara Toman in Congressman Altmire's (D-PA) office at 202-225-2565 or cara.toman@mail.house.gov. or Kyle Oliver in Congressman Hall's (R-TX) office at 202-225-6673 or kyle.oliver@mail.house.gov. to sign on the letter. The deadline for signing is tomorrow, August 11th.