NCART: Support Legislation to Adjust Medicare HME Reimbursement

• By Laurie Watanabe
• Feb 24, 2022

NCART is asking Complex Rehab Technology stakeholders to support a bill that would adjust Medicare reimbursement rates for some home medical equipment (HME), during a pandemic that has seen so many increased costs for HME suppliers.

In a Feb. 23 bulletin, NCART Executive Director Don Clayback noted that Reps. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) had introduced H.R. 6641, which Clayback said, “would establish a 90/10 blended Medicare reimbursement rate (90 percent competitive bid rate and 10 percent traditional rate) for items included in 13 HME product categories. This would positively impact Medicare rates for standard manual and power wheelchairs, accessories, and seating items. The increased rates would be effective retroactively to January 1, 2022, and would remain in place until December 31, 2023.”

Clayback added that reimbursement adjustments are “critically necessary to address the increased operational expenses and product costs that are being reported by providers nationwide.” Suppliers have seen increases in shipping, fuel, and operational costs brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

NCART asked industry members to visit the Web site for the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) to ask Representatives to support the bill. After you type in your ZIP code, the site locates your Rep and makes it possible for you to send an e-mail message to that office.