In the coming days, CMS will announce the winners of the first round of bids. The program takes effect on July 1 in 10 metropolitan areas. Also in July, CMS will begin accepting bids for 70 more metro areas as part of a multi-year, nationwide phase-in.
Patients like Legault could face big changes. Many will have to sever long-standing relationships with trusted providers. On the other hand, they stand to save money as a result of the lower average prices CMS promises.
“The problem is, guys like myself, and there are quite a few of us out there, are going to have to take the hit for a study – and that’s not fair. I may end up losing the ability to get out of bed, OK, because somebody wants to do a study to see if the numbers fit,” Legault said.
Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.), the Ways and Means subcommittee chairman who has been skeptical of industry complaints, expressed openness to modifying the program.
“We have heard from both suppliers and beneficiary advocates that the [medical equipment] competitive bidding program is not working as well as it is supposed to. I look forward to hearing their concerns, as well as from CMS, as we consider whether changes need to be made before the program is further expanded,” Stark said in a statement that accompanied the hearing advisory.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) is the most prominent lawmaker to call for the program to be pushed back. Freshman Democratic Rep. Jason Altmire (Pa.) has led a rank-and-file movement in the House.
Ohio Sens. George Voinovich (R) and Sherrod Brown (D) and Pennsylvania Sens. Arlen Specter (R) and Bob Casey Jr. (D), among others, have written the administration to complain about the program.
The complex wheelchair advocates have their own champions in Reps. Tom Allen (D-Maine) and Ron Lewis (R-Ky.) and Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), who have sponsored legislation to get them out of the bidding program.
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