[hmetalk-news]

Meek Week Aims to Turn Tide

Jan 6, 2010 12:30 PM
ATLANTA — With reason on their side, home care advocates hope that "Meek Week" will spark a renewed movement to add at least 100 new cosponsors to H.R. 3790. So named after Rep. Kendrick Meek's (D-Fla.) proposed legislation to repeal competitive bidding, the next few days are a chance for every state association, provider and manufacturer to join under a common goal.
Richard Lerner, president of Allcare Medical in Sayreville, N.J., is taking the opportunity to host a site visit from Rep. Frank Pallone's (D-N.J.) legislative director.
"We will be giving her a tour of our facilities on Jan. 7, and educating her on the value of home care," said Lerner. "Our clinicians and managers will be attending, as well as an oxygen and power wheelchair patient. Our goal is to have her leave with a better appreciation for what we do, have an ally in Congress and have her recommend to Rep. Pallone that he cosponsor H.R. 3790."
Officials at the American Association for Homecare, which is spearheading Meek Week, said H.R. 3790 has 118 official cosponsors so far — "an impressive number, but far short of the number of supporters to make the impact we need to get this bill enacted into law." The target is 218.
For those who were unable to wrangle an in-person visit, there is still plenty of time to call or write.
"If your home representative has already signed on," said Michael Reinemer, AAHomecare vice president of communications and policy, "call the adjoining representatives where you do business and ask them to cosponsor the bill. It will also help if HMEs work with consumer and disability groups in their communities and coordinate with their state associations."
John Gallagher, vice president of government relations for VGM Group, Waterloo, Iowa, noted this week is particularly important for a grassroots push on the Meek bill since most members of Congress are still in their home districts before returning to Washington. The House will reconvene on Jan. 12, and the Senate returns on Jan. 19.
"If we can get to 150 or 175 [cosponsors], that is well on our way to being able to go to [House] leadership and say, 'We need some relief here,'" Gallagher said, adding that the more support the bill gets, the better the chances of its language being used "either in a health care reform bill, a 'doc fix' or some piece of health care-driven legislation later in the year."
If the Congressional Budget Office scores the legislation, Gallagher said, that could also be a significant step toward convincing more lawmakers to sign on.
Wayne Stanfield, president and CEO of the National Association of Independent Medical Equipment Suppliers, Halifax, Va., agreed, pointing out that "the budget-neutral question is still looming in the back" with Congress operating under pay-go rules.
Meanwhile, HME advocates are imploring providers across the country to carve out the time for a push on the bill this week.
"A lot will depend on whether suppliers actually get involved," cautioned Stanfield. "Apathy is still the driver, and getting the number of cosponsors we need will depend on how many suppliers make calls. We know that district level grassroots efforts work, so this effort is important."
To make the most of Meek Week, AAHomecare offers these suggestions:

• Call the local district office of your member of Congress and schedule a time this week to meet with your representative or staff to express your concerns about the future of home care and your support for H.R. 3790.
• After you have scheduled your meeting, mention to your local media why you are meeting and describe the role and value of home care in keeping seniors safe and independent at home.
• Invite your lawmaker to tour your facility to make him or her familiar with the role of home medical equipment within the continuum of care in your community. You may not be able to conduct such a tour this week, but you can use this time to secure a date in the near future for a visit by your legislator.
• Call and thank those representatives who are already cosponsors on the bill and urge them to speak with House leadership about the importance of H.R. 3790.

You can find the phone number and location of every legislator's district offices in the "Contact Me" section of each member's Web site at www.house.gov.
For talking points on the Meek bill and additional resources, see the AAHomecare Web site.
View more competitive bidding stories.