Congress instructed CMS to design and implement the competitive bidding program in a 2003 statute. Lawmakers saw evidence mounting that Medicare spending on durable medical equipment was growing at an alarming rate. Medicare spending on power wheelchairs spiked 450 percent between 1999 and 2003, when it topped $1 billion, according to the Government Accountability Office.
“When they hear ‘power wheelchair,’ they think of overutilization and fraud and abuse,” said Paul Bergantino, the president of ATG Rehab, a Connecticut-based vendor of power wheelchairs, scooters and other equipment.
“We got caught in the crossfire,” said Bergantino, whose firm supplies and services Legault’s wheelchairs.
Legault is worried about what all of this will mean to him and his health. A vendor that does not specialize in complex wheelchairs cannot provide the service he needs, he said.
“They’re going to deal with me? … They’re going to laugh and walk away. … They have no idea what is entailed, so I’m going to get a bad product.” The Week in Congress APPROPRIATIONS
• The House Appropriations Defense subcommittee has scheduled a hearing to discuss outsourcing of the federal government’s defense contracts on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in Room 140 of the Capitol.
• The Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services and Education subcommittee has scheduled a hearing to discuss the Labor Department’s budget request on Wednesday at 9:45 a.m. in 124 Dirksen. Labor Secretary Elaine Chao is scheduled to attend.
• The Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development subcommittee will review the Energy Department’s decision to restructure the FutureGen program at a hearing on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in 192 Dirksen. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman is scheduled to attend.
COMMERCE
• The House Energy and Commerce Telecommunications and the Internet subcommittee will review the Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2008 at a hearing on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in 2322 Rayburn.
DEFENSE
Various House Armed Services subcommittees plan to mark up their portion of the 2009 defense authorization bill this week:
• On Wednesday, the Air and Land Forces subcommittee will meet at 10:30 a.m. in 2118 Rayburn; the Military Personnel subcommittee will meet at 11:30 a.m. in 2212 Rayburn; and the Strategic Forces subcommittee will meet at 1 p.m. in 2218 Rayburn.
• On Thursday, the Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities subcommittee will meet at 9 a.m. in 2118 Rayburn; the Seapower and Expeditionary Forces subcommittee will meet at 11 a.m. in 2212 Rayburn; and the Readiness subcommittee will meet at 1 p.m. in 2118 Rayburn.
ENERGY
• The House Energy and Commerce Energy and Air Quality subcommittee examines issues relating to the Renewable Fuels Standard at a hearing on Tuesday at a 10:30 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn.
ENVIRONMENT
• The Senate Environment and Public Works Public Sector Solutions to Global Warming, Oversight and Children’s Health Protection subcommittee will review regulatory policies as they relate to science and the environment at a hearing on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in 406 Dirksen.
HEALTHCARE
• The Senate Finance Committee holds a hearing on health reform with former Health and Human Services secretaries Tommy Thompson and Donna Shalala on Tuesday at 10 a.m. in 215 Dirksen.
• The House Ways and Means Committee’s Health subcommittee will review competitive bidding for durable medical equipment at a hearing on Tuesday at 1 p.m. in 1100 Longworth.
• The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee holds a hearing on the effect of pending Medicaid regulations on hospitals’ capacity to respond to emergencies on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in 2154 Rayburn.
• The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Oversight and Investigations subcommittee holds a hearing on direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs on Thursday at 10 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn.
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