On October 7, the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society™ (WOCN®) joined the United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA) for “Patient Voices on the Hill Day” to educate Congress about the potential consequences of adding ostomy and urological supplies to the Medicare Competitive Bidding Program (CBP).
More than a dozen patients visited Capitol Hill to share how including these products in CBP could limit access to the critical supplies they depend on. They were joined by WOC nurses and WOCN staff who emphasized that product selection for ostomy and urological care must be based on clinical appropriateness—not cost—and that applying CBP to these products could lead to “one-size-fits-all” options and increased device-related complications.
As background, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently proposed regulatory changes that would make it easier to include ostomy, tracheostomy, and urological supplies in the CBP. WOCN has a long history of opposing any effort to include these essential medical devices in the program. In the proposed rule for the Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, CMS includes a provision to reclassify these products as “items,” a technical change that could pave the way for their inclusion in the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program.
Recently, several members of Congress sent a letter to CMS urging the agency not to include ostomy and urological supplies in the CBP. WOCN will continue to advocate against this proposal and will keep members informed as developments unfold.