More than two dozen prominent providers and manufacturers in the home care sector have issued a “call to arms” letter to the industry to enlist membership and support for the American Association for Homecare.
The signatories to the letter serve on the association's board of directors and reflect the full range of members within AAHomecare in terms of size, types of services and equipment, and broad geographic distribution.
AAHomecare is the industry's chief advocate in Washington for dealing with home medical equipment policy issues before Congress and Medicare.
The letter follows.
Dear Colleague:
It's time to stand up for home care.
The continuing assaults on home care by Congress, the administration, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have reached a point where the home care community absolutely must fight back with a unified voice. With a new Congress, it is a perfect opportunity for our entire industry to become fully engaged and to sharpen our advocacy.
We have seen progress toward collaboration across the home care sectors. The industry can be proud of a growing number of true champions in the House and Senate who understand the value of home care and what is at stake when the nation's home care infrastructure is weakened.
But we still have a long way to go. Unless we unite and speak in a loud voice for better home care policy in Washington, we're in danger of seeing further erosion in the benefits and a severe access problem for patients.
So we are asking you to take one simple step toward strengthening home care for America: Enhance the industry's credibility and clout by joining the American Association for Homecare.
By joining AAHomecare, you support and reinforce the leading voice for home care. The association represents you on Capitol Hill and before CMS and other federal agencies. AAHomecare is your lobbyist and your chief advocate. The association commissions important research that shapes the critical reimbursement policies coming out of Washington. It is a member-driven organization so your active participation and contributions to AAHomecare's political efforts promote greater credibility and muscle for the industry.
It is widely understood that home care is the most cost-effective and preferred setting for health care in the United States. In a perfect world, that would translate into sound policy for home care. But to be heard in Washington, our industry must invest in AAHomecare and support our political efforts.
We urge you to join AAHomecare and get involved in the organization that is your voice in Washington. For details, call Cheryl Bass-Briscoe at AAHomecare at 703-535-1882, or e-mail AAHomecare President Tyler Wilson at tylerwilson@aahomecare.org.
Sincerely,
Access Diabetic Supply, Pompano Beach, FL
Advanced Home Care, High Point, NC
Air Products Healthcare, Conshohocken, PA
AirSep Corporation, Buffalo, NY
American HomePatient, Brentwood, TN
Apria Healthcare Group, Lake Forest, CA
Associated Healthcare Systems, Buffalo, NY
DeFeliceCare, Inc., Wheeling, WV
Homecare Concepts Inc., Farmingdale, NY
Hoveround Corporation, Sarasota, FL
Inogen, Goleta, CA
Invacare Corporation, Elyria, OH
Landauer Metropolitan, Mt. Vernon, NY
Lincare Holdings Inc., Clearwater, FL
The MED Group, Lubbock, TX
New England Medical Equipment Dealers Assn.
Pacific Pulmonary Services, Novato, CA
Praxair Healthcare Services, Inc, Danbury, CT
Premier Home Care, Inc., Louisville, KY
Pride Mobility Products, Exeter, PA
ResMed, Poway, CA
Respironics, Inc., Murrysville, PA
Seeley Medical, Andover, OH
Sunrise Medical Inc., Carlsbad, CA
VGM & Associates, Waterloo, IA
WestMed Rehab, Inc., Rapid City, SD
Tyler J. Wilson is president and CEO of the American Association for Homecare, Alexandria, Va. He may be reached by e-mail at tylerw@aahomecare.org. For more information about the association, visit www.aahomecare.org.
