MAMES Members discuss critical industry issues with Senator Thune

Published in Government Relations on June 30, 2022

As reported by MAMES:

"MAMES is very grateful to Senator Thune for taking the time to sit down in person with MAMES Members in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to discuss the critical issues facing our industry and the clients we so devotedly serve every day. Members thanked the Senator for his leadership on past legislation including the CARES Act and the important relief it provided during extraordinary times.” said Rose Schafhauser, MAMES Executive Director.

“Senator Thune spent an hour listening to MAMES providers explain how they were an integral part of the health care continuum during the pandemic, playing a critical role in getting patients out of the hospitals and long-term care and allowing patients to recover in their homes”. continued Schafhauser.” ”Members also shared the immense challenges they are operating under as healthcare providers including: Critical staffing shortage, incredible cost increases for patient products plus additional surcharges for each items that cannot be passed on to the consumer, reimbursement rates based on flawed 2015 pricing for Medicare and most private pay insurances and even lower rates for many Medicare Managed Care programs and burdensome documentation requirements that place the HME Provider in the middle between patients and their Doctors.”

Representatives from MAMES, VGM Group, AAHomecare asked Senator Thune for help in extending the CARES Act relief for the HME community after the public health emergency ends and to assist the industry in getting answers from CMS on the future of the so-called competitive bidding program going forward.

“MAMES looks forward to working with Senator Thune as we continue to work to protect our industry, our members and the clients and patients they serve every day. I would like to also extend my sincerest gratitude to each of the MAMES Members who took the time from busy schedules to travel to this event. And also, Jay Witter, AAHomecare and John Gallagher, VGM Group for attending and bringing your expertise to this critical meeting.” added Rose Schafhauser.

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