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New Issue Brief: Why Medicare's Competitive Bidding Program Needs Urgent Reform

Published in Government Relations on November 06, 2025

The Medicare competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment (DME) was designed to reduce costs—but it’s failing patients and providers.  

A new issue brief from Pacific Research Institute and economist Wayne Winegarden highlights what changes are urgently needed. 

Key points of the article: 

  • CMS’ original competitive bidding process failed to meet its intended goals.  
  • The proposed replacement does not adequately address these issues.  
  • Problems likely to persist:  
    • Supply shortages.  
    • Lower-quality medical supplies. 
    • Inefficient bidding process. 

Read the full brief here: https://www.pacificresearch.org/issue-brief-stronger-reforms-needed-to-fix-medicare-competitive-bidding-problems/ 

Call to Action: 

Congress must press CMS leadership to address these failures. Please share this article with your members of Congress and tell them how these policies impact your business and the patients you serve. Personal stories make a difference. 

If you need help contacting your legislators, visit our website or email emily.kettman@vgm.com. 

Together, we can protect patient access, ensure fair pricing, and sustain the DME industry. 

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