WASHINGTON--At the American Association for Homecare's annual legislative fly-in next week, HME advocates plan to confront two daunting challenges: the Deficit Reduction Act's 36-month cap on home oxygen rental, and Medicare's coming competitive bid.

Scheduled June 19-20, the event will include meetings for providers with their federal legislators, an oxygen technology fair so members of Congress can see first-hand how patients use oxygen equipment, and a patient call-in to combat the Deficit Reduction Act's oxygen rental cap. Rep. Joe Schwarz, R-Mich., a physician who introduced the Home Oxygen Patient Protection Act--which would repeal the DRA's capped oxygen provision (see HomeCare Monday, June 5)--will keynote the event.

"[Many providers'] livelihood is on the line with the DRA," said AAHomecare Chairman Tom Ryan, adding that the Schwarz bill is a strong rallying point that should bring focus to the negative ramifications of the DRA. "We've got to get some recognition on the Hill that the DRA is a bad bill, and we've got to get some understanding that we need a fix."

Ryan also stressed the importance of support for the Hobson-Tanner bill, H.R. 3559, which would ease some effects of DME competitive bidding. The bill, introduced last year by Reps. David Hobson, R-Ohio, and John Tanner, D-Tenn., has picked up 115 co-sponsors in the House, and stakeholders are now working to get a companion bill introduced in the Senate.

For more information about the fly-in, visit www.aahomecare.org.