The American Association of Homecare has provided the following information to recruit support for H.R. 6490. Please read carefully and do what you can to help get this law that is so important to our industry passed!
Over the next couple of weeks, the homecare community must get more members of Congress to support H.R. 6490, the bipartisan bill to replace the current bidding program with the far-better market pricing program (MPP).
Senators and Representatives need to hear that providers and consumers across the U.S. strongly support this important bill, which currently has 31 cosponsors. Four new backers were added to the cosponsor list this week:
- Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.)
- Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.)
- Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.)
- Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.)
But now we need to expand those efforts as widely as possible.
Please spread the word about the importance of getting Congress to make this important change to Medicare policy to preserve access to home medical equipment and care.
As we push for H.R. 6490, we must show there is the same degree of enthusiasm for that bill as the bidding repeal bill, H.R. 1041, which has more than 170 cosponsors and bipartisan support.
Homecare providers, patients, and family members have the strongest case to make to their home-state lawmakers.
The battle to get MPP enacted into law has two parts:
(1) Homecare companies and everyone who benefits from homecare must convince Congress that the current bidding system is unsustainable and is seriously undermining how Medicare beneficiaries obtain homecare;
(2) When enough members of Congress realize there is a significant problem with the present system, the MPP alternative becomes a ready-made solution and arguments for MPP are easier to make.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," is the position of CMS and their allies. We must push back against that flimsy and inaccurate assessment. You are the best advocates to make the point that the current system is not working.
Let's turn up the heat through meetings with members of Congress, phone calls to their Capitol Hill and the district offices, and emails to lawmakers' staff.
Use this
Action Center to send an email message to your Senators and your Representative. You can also find telephone contact information for your legislators
here.
There is much to do here in Washington as we fight to get this legislation enacted. AAHomecare is working closely with the lead sponsor of the bill, Rep. Tom Price, MD (R-Ga.) and the key committees in the House and Senate.
We continue close work with other homecare stakeholders - such as consumer groups and the clinical community - to enlist their support and advocacy for H.R. 6490 and MPP.
We thank everyone who has pushed hard to inform lawmakers about the problems with the current bidding program and need for a replacement. Your efforts have been critical.
