With the holidays almost upon us, there was one last major vote in the 117th Congress before sine die. Today, they voted on a $1.645 trillion Omnibus package that included some language for the DMEPOS industry. Now that it has passed it is off to the President for a signature. There will need to be a continuing resolution in effect until Dec. 30th to allow the time needed to get the final bill signed by the President.
In it, they passed the following:
Stop the PAYGO payment cuts (4%) for 2023 and 2024
Section 4139 – Extends the 75/25 blended rates “through the remainder of the duration of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C1 1320b–5(g)(1)(B)) or December 31, 2023, whichever is later.
Section 4113 – Advancing telehealth beyond COVID-19 (through Dec. 31, 2024)
Section 4139 – Extending Acute Hospital Care at Home waivers and flexibilities
Section 4133 – Medicare Coverage of certain Lymphedema compression treatment
Section 4136 – Technical amendments to Medicare separate payment for disposable negative pressure wound therapy devices
Read the full bill here.
With the language being passed, the work is not done. VGM Government Relations is digesting this information and plans to meet in January with industry stakeholders to decide what the path forward is going to be for 2023.