Washington

During the final days of the 107th congressional session, the U.S. Senate's finance committee approved a provider “give-back” bill that included a provision mandating national competitive bidding for durable medical equipment.

However, as of press time, the provision's author, Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., was skeptical that Congress would be able to address the legislation before the end of the session.

“There are some really pressing things like Iraq and homeland security that members are eager to address before going home to campaign,” Graham's press secretary told HomeCare. “This potentially could fall by the wayside. I don't think it will be addressed this session.”

Nonetheless, competitive bidding still is a high priority for Graham and other lawmakers, Graham's press secretary continued. “With the project in Polk County, Fla., expiring, I think there will be a keen interest in getting that program back on board,” she said, adding that Congress probably will not revisit the issue before January.

The provision Graham crafted calls for competitive bidding for DME in metropolitan areas of 500,000 people or more, an aide to the Finance Committee's ranking member, Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, explained. “There was a concern that small suppliers that serve rural areas would not be able to compete with the larger national companies.”

This geographical compromise may have resulted from a press conference that took place Sept. 18, at which Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., a wheelchair-bound military veteran, appealed to Graham to consider the drawbacks of DME competitive bidding.

Cleland's concerns about competitive bidding fall into two categories, according to a spokeswoman from his office: “First, he is concerned about patients' access to DME,” she said. Second, Cleland is concerned that small businesses could suffer under competitive bidding. Fewer small businesses could mean fewer choices for beneficiaries, she continued.

On the same day Cleland voiced his concerns, 260 home care industry representatives descended on Capitol Hill, as part of a lobbying “fly-in” organized by the Alexandria, Va.-based American Association for Homecare.

Their message was twofold: “We concentrated on competitive bidding and the 15 percent cut [in home health reimbursements],” said Steve Knoll, president of Knoll Patient Supply, Topeka, Kan., and chairman of AAHomecare's board of directors. “We literally blanketed the Hill all day long, on both the House and the Senate side.”

For breaking news, go to www.homecaremonday.com, the electronic news service of the home medical equipment industry.