VGM & ASSOCIATESHealthcare MSO
Full Menu Search

Iowa Senators Expand Their Understanding of DME Supplier Issues

Published in Government Relations on October 22, 2024

NuCara Home Medical hosted an event for Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) at their Urbandale location on Thursday, Oct. 10. Matt Flatt, CEO of NuCara Home Medical, highlighted the event as a valuable opportunity to educate Sen. Ernst on the importance of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) and the challenges faced by the industry. A special thanks to Matt Flatt and his team at NuCara Home Medical for organizing this fantastic event! 

NuCara

John Gallagher of VGM, Matt Flatt of NuCara Home Medical, and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) 

NuCara Home Medical

Sen. Ernst with the NuCara Home Medical team 

On Thursday, Oct. 17, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) visited VGM’s headquarters in Waterloo, IA. These meetings were timely, with elections just a few weeks away, emphasizing the need for legislators to consider the DME industry in year-end legislation.  

Both senators were asked to support the 75/25 blended rate in a year-end package and indicated they would voice their support to Sen. John Thune (R-SD) for S1294. 

75/25 blended rate

VGM with Sen.Grassley

John Gallagher, Christa Miehe, Jeremy Stolz, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Adam Miller, and Emily Harken 

Currently, there is a House Dear Colleague letter supporting this legislation. Constituents are encouraged to reach out to their representatives to support this letter, which calls for the re-establishment of the Medicare 75/25 blended rate for DME in non-rural, non-competitive bid areas for 2025. 

How You Can Help: 

  1. Contact your members of Congress and urge them to support the DME industry by reaching out to the staff of Rep. Miller-Meeks (R-IA) or Rep. Tonko (D-NY). 
  2. Highlight the importance and emphasize that fair reimbursement rates are crucial for DME suppliers to provide Medicare beneficiaries with the necessary supplies and services to heal at home, rather than in a hospital. 

Contact Information: 

  • Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ Health Staff: Blake Thelander (blake.thelander@mail.house.gov) 
  • Rep. Paul Tonko’s Health Staff: Emily Silverberg (emily.silverberg@mail.house.gov) 

Engage with Legislators: Legislators will be home for most of October until election day. This is a great opportunity to meet your legislators in person! Here are some ways to engage: 

  • Invite them to your office for a tour and meeting. 
  • Request an in-person meeting at their office. 
  • Attend a public event like a state or town fair and speak directly to them about the issues. 
  • Reach out to their staff members requesting support. 

The period after elections but before the new administration takes over is known as the “lame duck” period. This is an interesting time, as outgoing politicians can make decisions with little fear of consequence, presenting a great opportunity to gain additional support for DME legislation. We are hopeful there will be an end-of-the-year package that will carry the DME bill. 

Please reach out to Emily Harken at Emily.harken@vgm.com if you would like any assistance connecting with your legislator!  

TAGS

  1. advocacy
  2. dmepos
  3. vgm government

Get Connected

Stay up-to-date on the latest resources and news provided by VGM & Associates.

Sign Up for Email

From Our Experts

The Return of Competitive Bidding thumbnail The Return of Competitive Bidding The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) appear to be laying the groundwork for another round of the Competitive Bidding Program (CBP). While full implementation will take a couple of years, an official announcement is expected this summer—potentially as early as July. Out With The Old RAC, In With The New thumbnail Out With The Old RAC, In With The New On April 28, 2025, CMS awarded Cotiviti GOV Services LLC, the new RAC Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) Region 3, 4, and 5 contracts. RAC Region 3 includes the following Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) jurisdictions: JJ, JM, and JN. RAC Region 4 includes jurisdictions: JE, JF, and JL. And RAC Region 5 includes jurisdictions: JA, JB, JC, JD, as well as the HH/H MACs: J6, J15, JK, and JM. Iowa Leads the Charge! All Four Representatives Back H.R. 2005—Will Your State Step Up? thumbnail Iowa Leads the Charge! All Four Representatives Back H.R. 2005—Will Your State Step Up? At VGM Group, Inc. we have the pleasure of serving our members and partners throughout the country.  One of the many ways we do this is through legislative advocacy, working with our partners to create a more equitable and effective healthcare system. All our VGM units are dedicated to advancing our partners' businesses, streamlining operations, and working every day to enhance reimbursement for the quality in-home healthcare our industry provides all people. Mike Hamilton Of ADMEA Honored With The Mal Mixon Advocate Award thumbnail Mike Hamilton Of ADMEA Honored With The Mal Mixon Advocate Award Last week, during the 2025 AAHomecare Washington Legislative Conference, Mike Hamilton, Executive Director of ADMEA, was honored with the prestigious Mal Mixon Advocate Award. VGM Senior Leaders Engage in Advocacy at AAHomecare Legislative Conference thumbnail VGM Senior Leaders Engage in Advocacy at AAHomecare Legislative Conference This week, VGM leaders attended the AAHomecare Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., a premier event dedicated to advancing healthcare policy and advocacy. AAHomecare provided attendees with valuable insights, equipping them with key discussion points and strategies for effective meetings with legislators. Champion of Change: Paula Vineyard of Elana Health & Loop Medical Leads Healthcare Advocacy in West Virginia thumbnail Champion of Change: Paula Vineyard of Elana Health & Loop Medical Leads Healthcare Advocacy in West Virginia On Thursday, May 8, Paula Vineyard, owner of Elana Health & Loop Medical, took a pivotal step in healthcare advocacy by hosting a meeting with Tyler Ohrn, Field Representative for Congresswoman Carol Miller of West Virginia's First District. The hour-long discussion centered on the pressing need for congressional support of H.R. 2005. Manufacturer Survey On Tariffs thumbnail Manufacturer Survey On Tariffs The American Association for Homecare and VGM Group are seeking valuable insights from durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) manufacturers and vendor partners regarding tariffs imposed on certain countries. Key Payers Denied Your Application Citing Their Network Is Closed – Now What? thumbnail Key Payers Denied Your Application Citing Their Network Is Closed – Now What? This experience has increasingly become one of the most common questions we receive from our provider members as more and more payers move to narrow their provider networks. The reasons payers seek to narrow their networks are simple. Payers are highly motivated to achieve their goals while doing less work and are not required to allow providers into their networks unless there is a patient access issue. For those of you fortunate enough to be a part of a narrow network, this may not be much of

Be Part of Something Bigger

Become a Member