WOCN Joins Patient Voices on the Hill to Oppose Competitive Bidding Expansion
Summary: The Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN) partnered with United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA) for October 7’s “Patient Voices on the Hill Day,” where 50+ patients and nurses met with 100 congressional offices to oppose CMS’s proposed expansion of the Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) to ostomy and urological supplies. The expansion, in the CY 2026 Home Health PPS rule, would reclassify these as “items” under DMEPOS, potentially limiting access to clinically appropriate products and increasing complications like leaks or infections in chronic wound management.
Key Highlights:
- Advocacy: Shared patient stories on CBP’s risks to quality care; 100 offices engaged.
- Congressional Support: Bipartisan letter to CMS urging no expansion; emphasizes clinical over cost.
- WOCN Position: Product choice must prioritize appropriateness to avoid one-size-fits-all harms.
- Context: Follows 2024 CBP round; affects 2M+ ostomy patients with chronic wounds.
- Next: WOCN monitoring CMS final rule; ongoing advocacy for wound/ostomy access.
Keywords: competitive bidding, ostomy supplies, Medicare expansion, WOCN, patient advocacy