BALTIMORE — Along with its interim final rule for DMEPOS competitive bidding, CMS also announced the members of its new Program Advisory and Oversight Committee.
Officials said the revised 17-member committee "will provide advice to the [Department of Health and Human Services] Secretary on a number of issues related to the implementation of the program and will assist the Secretary [in focusing on] key operational issues … including quality standards, accreditation, and beneficiary issues."
CMS abruptly ended the term of the first PAOC members in 2008 (see Call for New PAOC Puzzles Current Members, HomeCare Monday, Oct. 13, 2008).
The agency said new committee members include representatives of beneficiaries and consumers, physicians and other practitioners, providers, industry organizations and financial experts. The new PAOC members are:
- Peter Amico, Prime Care Supplies Inc. of Holtsville, N.Y.
- Kendra Betz, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Richard Boulger, University of Iowa Business Solutions Center
- Doran Edwards, Advanced HealthCare Consulting LLC of Columbia, S.C.
- Sue ElHessen, Careers Unlimited Inc. of Bellflower, Calif.
- Joseph Furlong, American Home Patient of Brentwood, Tenn.
- Walter Gorski, AAHomecare
- Rita Hostak, Sunrise Medical Inc. of Mathews, N.C.
- Thomas Jeffers, Hill-Rom, Inc. of Batesville, Ind.
- Ruben King-Shaw, All-Med Services of Florida Inc.
- Ann Kohler, National Association of State Medicaid Directors
- Jeffrey Mansell, Texas Department of State Health Services
- Sharad Mansukani, NationsHealth Inc. of Sunrise, Fla.
- Thomas Milam, AmMed Direct LLC of Antioch, Tenn.
- Barbara Rogers, National Emphysema/COPD Association
- Esta Willman, Medi-Source, Yucca Valley, Calif.
- Debra Zak, The Joint Commission, Des Plaines, Ill.
While there are strong HME advocates among its members, whether the new PAOC will pack any punch this time around remains uncertain. Previous committee members have been vocal in their criticism of CMS, saying although the committee's name indicates they had oversight powers, they did not, and while they were to function as well in an advisory capacity, CMS seldom took their advice.
Rob Brant, president of the Accredited Medical Equipment Providers of America — whose members went to court over bid disqualification in Round One — also said he was disappointed there is not more representation of small providers on the new PAOC. "We're the ones that have to do the bids, crunch the numbers, provide the service," said Brant, who owns City Medical Services in North Miami Beach, Fla.
