A bill to provide Medicare funding relief to many home medical equipment (HME) providers has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa).
H.R. 2005, the DMEPOS [durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies] Relief Act of 2025, seeks “a 75/25 blended Medicare reimbursement rate for DMEPOs in non-rural/non-competitive bidding areas through the end of 2025,” the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) announced on March 11.
The new bill would “direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for certain adjustments to Medicare payment for items of durable medical equipment that were formerly included in round 2021 of the DMEPOS competitive bid program,” the association added.
“Seeing this legislation quickly reintroduced in the early stages of the 119th Congress shows that our champions understand the need for restoring the 75/25 rate relief that expired at the end of 2023,” said Tom Ryan, AAHomecare president/CEO, in the announcement. “We have bipartisan support, co-sponsors from the committees of jurisdiction for health-care finance issues, and a passionate base of HME advocates who are ready to engage their legislators. It’s time to get to work!”
The bill’s current sponsors include House Energy & Commerce committee members Miller-Meeks and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), and Ways & Means committee members Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) and Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.).
Ryan added that H.R. 2005 will be a major focal point of AAHomecare’s legislative conference, coming to Capitol Hill in May.
“The early introduction of H.R. 2005 allows us to build awareness and support for the bill in advance of our legislative conference in D.C. on May 12-13,” he said. “The timing for this bill couldn’t be better for us. HME advocates need to take advantage of this opportunity to engage their Representatives now, and again at our May event.”
The association is also urging stakeholders to ask their Representatives to support the new bill. Advocacy resources are available on AAHomecare’s website.
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