VGM Government and Great Lakes State Association attend Legislative Event in Indiana

Published in Government Relations on July 15, 2022

Earlier this week, VGM's John Gallagher, VP of Government relations, attended a legistlative event for former Indiana state senator and Congressional candidate for the US House of Representatives Erin Houchin hosted by Great Lakes state assocation.

As reported by Great Lakes State Association:

Great Lakes president Chuck Williams and his team hosted a site visit and meet-and-greet at Williams Bros. Healthcare Pharmacy location in Paoli, Indiana, for Erin Houchin, former Indiana state senator and Congressional candidate for the US House of Representatives. She is seeking election to serve Indiana’s 9th Congressional district replacing Rep. Trey Hollingsworth who announced he was not seeking re-election earlier this year. As a state senator, Ms. Houchin has been supportive of the HME industry and engaged on a number of issues related to the state’s Medicaid program working closely with Great Lakes. 

Group Photo

The event included representatives pictured left to right: Derek Johnson and Jennifer Lowe, RN with Williams Bros. Healthcare Pharmacy; Kevin Stewart, Community Health Network and Great Lakes past president; Chuck Williams, Executive VP of Williams Bros.; Senator Houchin; Kam Yuricich, Great Lakes executive director; John Gallagher, VP of Government Relations for The VGM Group and Josiah McSpadden, manager of Williams Bros. Healthcare Pharmacy's Paoli, Indiana, branch.

The discussion focused on the value of HME services and the operational and financial challenges providers experience today, especially those serving rural areas, due to increasing costs, supply chain disruption and labor shortages all while facing fixed reimbursement by payers. This is a difficult combination that risks patients' access to services at home. The group discussed the declining network of HME providers as evidenced by the most recent quarterly tracking report showing a 29% decline in the number of HME supplier locations in Indiana since Round 2 of the bidding program launched in July 2013.  


TAGS

  1. advocacy
  2. state association
  3. vgm
  4. vgm government

From Our Experts

Proposed Rule Suggests Significant Change To Accreditation Process thumbnail Proposed Rule Suggests Significant Change To Accreditation Process The recently released proposed rule CMS-1828-P contains a significant change that could reshape how suppliers navigate accreditation. The rule proposes a major change that would require suppliers to be surveyed and reaccredited annually instead of the current three (3) year cadence. This proposal raises substantial questions about both operational feasibility and cost implications. August Of Action: Your Chance To Connect With Congress thumbnail August Of Action: Your Chance To Connect With Congress It's time to take advantage of August Of Action—a perfect opportunity to make your voice heard. Every summer, federal legislators return to their home states during the Congressional recess. While it gives them a break from Washington D.C., it's primarily a time for them to connect with constituents like you. HR1 Passes House, Advances to President Trump's Desk for Signature thumbnail HR1 Passes House, Advances to President Trump's Desk for Signature After extensive negotiations and partisan debate, the House has officially passed HR1, clearing the path for the bill to be signed into law by President Donald Trump. The legislation, which aims to reduce federal healthcare expenditures, contains several provisions that may impact the durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) industry. CMS files the Proposed Rule that sheds light on the next round of the Competitive Bidding Program thumbnail CMS files the Proposed Rule that sheds light on the next round of the Competitive Bidding Program On June 30, 2025, CMS filed the anticipated Proposed Rule that includes updates to the Competitive Bidding Program (CBP). Public comments are due 60 days from June 30, 2025. Below is a high-level summary of the rule. It is critical to note that, according to the Proposed Rule Fact Sheet dated June 30, 2025, CMS has stated that they have not announced the specific product categories they are bidding or the specific timeframe for the next competition. Those specifics will be forthcoming in a fu Senate Narrowly Passes HR1, Sending It Back to House for Final Approval thumbnail Senate Narrowly Passes HR1, Sending It Back to House for Final Approval President Donald Trump's sweeping legislative package, formally titled the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, now referred to as HR1., cleared the Senate today in a dramatic 51–50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. The bill now returns to the House, where lawmakers must decide whether to adopt the Senate's revised version or negotiate further changes before it can reach the president's desk. Several Prominent Medicaid Provisions in Senate's Budget Bill Deemed in Violation of Byrd Rule thumbnail Several Prominent Medicaid Provisions in Senate's Budget Bill Deemed in Violation of Byrd Rule Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough advised this week that multiple Medicaid provisions in the Senate's reconciliation bill would violate Senate procedure by violating the Byrd Rule. The Byrd Rule is a Senate-specific procedural process that allows Senators to prevent or block inclusion of extraneous provisions in reconciliation bills. Other provisions are still under review. Evaluating the Value of a Payer Contract thumbnail Evaluating the Value of a Payer Contract In our last article, Key Payers Denied Your Application Citing Their Network Is Closed – Now What?, we discussed strategies for addressing payer contracting denials due to a closed network. As indicated, this process can be an extremely time-consuming exercise with no guarantees and mixed results. Below are a few things to consider as you evaluate whether a contract is worth the extra effort. Webinar: Webinar: "Navigating The New CMS Landscape: RADs, HMVs, and Supplier Survival" on June 25 at 1 p.m. CT. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its final National Coverage Determination (NCD) for RADs and HMVs used in treating chronic respiratory failure due to COPD. While the rule potentially expands access to bilevel ST therapy (RADs), it also introduces complex compliance requirements, tighter usage criteria, and increased documentation burdens—without additional reimbursement.