U.S. Rehab and VGM Government Relations Attend Congressional Briefing in Washington D.C.

Published in Government Relations on September 19, 2022

Congressional Briefing

Wednesday, Sept. 14, was a momentous day of advocating for CRT and other key legislative issues. Greg Packer, president, U.S. Rehab, and Tom Powers, consultant, VGM Government Relations, spent time in Washington D.C. attending the NCART/NRRTS Virtual Congressional Fly-In and a congressional briefing on power seating and standing systems for power wheelchairs.  

The congressional briefing was held Wednesday afternoon in Washington D.C. and was attended by U.S. Rehab, NCART, and many other industry advocates. There were over 50 people at the briefing, and over 20 congressional offices had some form of representation present.  

“It was a great turnout, and it went very well as key members of the research community, the consumer community, and the legislative community spoke to the key issues on power seat elevation and standing systems,” said Greg Packer. “They also discussed the need to continue the push of having power standing brought to the front of attention so that comments can be started for it soon.” 

The briefing was held to continue the discussion about why it is incorrect for Medicare to list power seat elevation and standing systems for power wheelchairs as “not medically necessary” for people with disabilities.  

Thank you to all the speakers who attended this briefing, including current wheelchair users who offered their perspectives such as Kent Keyser, Jim Meade, and Ali Ingersoll, who was recently crowned Miss Wheelchair America 2023. They were followed by a physician’s perspective given by Dr. Anjali Shah and research perspectives from Cara Masselink and Dr. Mark Schmeler. The briefing was finished with congressional perspectives from Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Rep. Dan Meuser (R-PA).  

The virtual fly-ins were also extremely successful with over 300 advocates who held meetings with 292 congressional offices throughout the day. There was representation from all areas within the CRT community, including consumers, clinicians, providers, manufacturers, family members, caregivers, and others.  

All of this happened on the same day that CMS’ 30-day comment period on Medicare coverage of power seat elevation concluded. The comment period had massive success with over 3,500 comments being submitted during the period.  

One important request that came from the meetings on Wednesday is for the House of Representative members to join a BIPARTISAN sign-on letter being led by Reps. Jim Langevin (D-RI), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), and John Rose (R-TN). The letter, which can be read here, urges CMS to move expeditiously in the review and coverage of power seat elevation systems and to open the comment period for power standing systems as soon as possible. The House of Representatives has until Oct. 3 to sign on, and we need your help. Click here to email your representative and ask them to sign on. We want to send a strong message to CMS!

Send Your Message Now


TAGS

  1. advocacy
  2. complex rehab
  3. dmepos
  4. medicare
  5. vgm
  6. vgm government

From Our Experts

August of Action is Over, But the Work Continues thumbnail August of Action is Over, But the Work Continues The VGM Government Relations team had one mission this August of Action, which was to work with members and assist them in connecting with as many elected officials as possible in their home states and districts. The primary focus of these meetings was to ask for support of HR. 5555 and S. 1294. [BREAKING NEWS] The DMEPOS Relief Act of 2023 is Introduced in the House thumbnail [BREAKING NEWS] The DMEPOS Relief Act of 2023 is Introduced in the House Reps. Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Tonko (D-NY) introduced the DMEPOS Relief Act of 2023, H.R. 5555. Jeremy Stolz and Industry Leaders Collaborate with Representative Cathy McMorris-Rodgers to Enhance Healthcare System thumbnail Jeremy Stolz and Industry Leaders Collaborate with Representative Cathy McMorris-Rodgers to Enhance Healthcare System Jeremy Stolz, President of VGM & Associates and VGM Fulfillment, joined forces with fellow industry leaders in a momentous meeting with Representative Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-WA) on Aug. 17, 2023, in Sun Valley, ID. Uncovering Denials: OIG Reports Reveal Alarming Trends in Medicaid Managed Care Plans thumbnail Uncovering Denials: OIG Reports Reveal Alarming Trends in Medicaid Managed Care Plans In 2022, the OIG released a report outlining their findings which concluded that Medicare Advantage plans were routinely denying authorizations requests and claims for items that would be covered by traditional Medicare Fee For Service (FFS). Understanding the 75/25 Blended Rate and Why We Need Legislative Action! thumbnail Understanding the 75/25 Blended Rate and Why We Need Legislative Action! In 2020, amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare industry witnessed the introduction of the 75/25 blended rate through the passage of the CARES Act. Craig Douglas and Ronda Buhrmester recently released a podcast going into a deep explanation of the 75/25 blended rate and why keeping them in place is so important. Read the article and listen to the podcast to learn more! Ronda Vlog: Make it a Priority - A Plea to Check Surety Bonds thumbnail Ronda Vlog: Make it a Priority - A Plea to Check Surety Bonds Listen below, Ronda Buhrmester, Sr. Director of Payer Relations and Reimbursement, makes a plea for everyone to check their surety bonds before it is too late. August of Action: Making an Impact on Legislation thumbnail August of Action: Making an Impact on Legislation With summer coming to an end, the political landscape is heating up with August of Action in full swing. Advocates and activists across the nation are seizing the opportunity to engage with their legislators as they are home in their congressional districts. Find out how VGM Government Relations is kicking off our August of Action! August of Action is Fast Approaching - Act Now! thumbnail August of Action is Fast Approaching - Act Now! Every year, the House of Representatives and the Senate take a break for most of August and the first part of September, allowing elected officials to return to their home constituencies. It's a crucial time to connect with your legislators and schedule meetings to inform and update them on the current issues in the home medical equipment (HME) industry.