CRE Files FOIA Request with CMS for Competitive Bidding Documents

Editor’s Note:  The Center for Regulatory Effectiveness filed a FOIA request with CMS for documents regarding the development of the DMEPOS competitive bidding program.  Specifically, CRE is seeking:

All agency records concerning the National Technical Expert Panel (NTEP) that was convened by the Health Care Financing Agency (HCFA, now CMS) to gather feedback regarding the design of the Durable Medical Equipment (DME) competitive bidding project and to engage in communication with interested members of the public. This FOIA request concerns the HCFA/CMS expert panel referred to on pages 1-5 to 1-6 of the report on CMS’s website, “Evaluation of Medicare’s Competitive Bidding Demonstration for DMEPOS: First-Year Annual Evaluation Report HCFA Contract No. 500-95-0061/T.O. #3” available at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Demonstration-Projects/DemoProjectsEvalRpts/downloads/karon_2001_1.pdf

Medicare’s Bidding Program for Home Medical Equipment Is Shutting Down Montana Homecare Providers and Threatens to Cut Care for Beneficiaries

From: Big Sky Association of Home Medical Equipment Suppliers

Unable to Justify Support for Competitive Bidding, NCHC Declines to Meet with CRE

The National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC), which describes itself as “America’s oldest, most diverse, and broadest based group working to achieve comprehensive health system reform” has proposed a major expansion of CMS’ competitive bidding program to “to the categories of durable medical equipment not included in the current program, including items such as nebulizers and ventilators.” NCHC also supports “reducing the rate at which the federal government reimburses state Medicaid programs for DME” to Medicare levels.

Medicare mandate could cut wheelchair and medical services

From: kivitv.com

By Mike Vogel

The feds are considering a new Medicare law that leaves some people with disabilities very worried.  It’s a move that people who rely on anything from wheelchairs to prescriptions say could literally kill them.

“On paper, we’re just a number. It basically removes a voice for those that need health services,” said Hernan Reyes, a paraplegic mouth artist.

Hernan Reyes has been in a wheelchair for 20 years, after a car wreck left him paraplegic.  A federal mandate has him pretty worried.  The law would require medical equipment companies to bid for the medicare contracts.

Medicare Competition Makes Bipartisan Comeback

Editor’s Note: The following illustrates the dangers of action without analysis.  No informed group could support expansion of CMS’ competitive bidding program in the face of unified oppostiion from every independent expert who has analyzed the program.

From: National Journal

By Meghan McCarthy

After President Obama’s reelection win, you might think that talk of competition in Medicare—a cornerstone of Mitt Romney’s campaign—would fall by the wayside. But introducing greater competition into the health program for older Americans is an idea that could prove ripe for a bipartisan compromise in any “Grand Bargain” on the budget.

CMS to Revisit Competitive Bidding for Laboratory Services?

Editor’s Note.  CMS has previous attempted to institute a competitive bidding service for clinical laboratory services.  The effort failed.  Now the Office of Inspector General report on unimplemented recommendations suggests that the agency may try again.

From:  HHS OIG — Compendium of Unimplemented Recommendations, December 2012 Edition

CMS said it would consider our recommendation as it continues to monitor the effects of its payment policies for laboratories. Options may include instituting competitive bidding for laboratory services.

Health Care Advocates Clash On Expanding Competitive Bidding

Editor’s Note:  The following is a quote from the Inside Health Policy article “Health Care Advocates Clash On Expanding Competitive Bidding.”  The complete article is available here.

From: Inside Health Policy

by Michelle M. Stein

The Center for Regulatory Effectiveness, however, said in a letter sent to the National Coalition on Health Care on Monday (Nov. 26) that the competitive bidding program as it is structured “is neither competitive nor an auction nor sustainable.” The CRE is requesting that the NCHC explain its support for the program.

H.R. 6490: 100 co-sponsors or bust

From: HME News

by: Liz Beaulieu

WASHINGTON – With 59 co-sponsors in their back pockets and organized lobbying efforts scheduled for Dec. 4 and 5, industry stakeholders have direct aim at 100 co-sponsors for H.R. 6490.

“Here’s hoping we can generate the noise needed to bring that other 40-plus co-sponsors on board,” said Wayne Stanfield, president and CEO of NAIMES. “Because it’s coming down to one simple thing: If we don’t have 100 or more, we’re done.”

Sen. Durbin Supports Expansion of Competitive Bidding

Editor’s Note: CRE has long warned that federal officials seek to expand competitive bidding.

From: Roll Call

Durbin: ‘Put Everything on the Table’

Sen. Richard J. Durbin on Tuesday laid out his “progressive” vision for deficit reduction, pegged largely to ideas generated by a 2010 bipartisan deficit reduction commission, and he said negotiators likely will target $4 trillion in total savings as part of a deal to avert the fiscal cliff.

Durbin — a member of the president’s commission on deficit reduction as well as the bipartisan “gang of six” — expressed optimism that lawmakers could come to a deal. But the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate said that a debt limit increase would have to be part of any agreement.

CRE Letter to the National Coalition on Health Care

Editor’s Note:  CRE’s letter to the National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC) regarding their ill-conceived support for CMS’ competitive bidding program is attached here.

CRE will publish, verbatim, any response from NCHC in this space.

Below is the text of the letter to John Rother, President and CEO of the National Coalition on Health Care:

Re:      NCHC’s Support for Non-Competitive Bidding for Durable Medical Equipment

Dear Mr. Rother: