Dear OMEPA Members and Industry Partners,
Happy New Year—and welcome to 2026. We are starting this year with strong momentum and renewed excitement following our 2025 Fall Conference, where we announced updates to the OMEPA Board and officer leadership.
Leadership Updates
Larry Dalton — Executive Director
OMEPA Officers and Voting Board Members
- Victor Clay — President
- Zach Hall — Vice President
- Larry Jantzen — Treasurer
- Lindsey Ketcham — Secretary
- Randy Taylor — Voting Member
- Curtis Dairy — Voting Member
- Kelly Kicklighter — Voting Member
Committee Directors and Advisory Members
- Ike Isaacson — VGM
- Jay Kopriva — VGM
- Laure Williard — AAHomecare
- Jennifer Switzer — Rhythm Healthcare Representative
- Debi Pizzica — Medline Representative
- Jennifer Martin — Event Coordinator & Medicare Representative
- Gary Duncan — Communication Coordinator
- Julie Jernigan — Oklahoma State Lobbyist
- John Gallagher — Lifetime Honorary Board Member
Federal Advocacy: Competitive Bidding Sign-On Letter
As we begin 2026, OMEPA is making a major push to support House Republicans in Washington, D.C., in signing onto the Competitive Bidding letter. Representatives Dan Meuser and Mariannette Miller-Meeks are spearheading. This letter urges CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to prevent the implementation of flawed provisions in the upcoming phase of the Competitive Bidding Program (CBP). Please reach out to your state and federal representatives as much as possible. Ensure your participation by signing up for their emails and submitting your updates, regularly.
You may share the link below with your local U.S. congressperson (copy and paste), so their office can view and sign onto the letter:
Important CMS Update: CY 2026 Home Health PPS Final Rule (CMS-1828-F)
To help keep members informed on key regulatory updates, CMS has released the Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System Final Rule (CMS-1828-F) fact sheet. You can review it here:
Timeline: Next Round of the Competitive Bidding Program (CBP)
In an additional fact sheet, CMS announced its intention for the next CBP round to go live no later than January 2028. In preparation, CMS indicated that pre-bidding education will begin next month, with the bidding window expected to open in Summer 2026. The fact sheet also includes product categories for remote item delivery.
Please note: the dates below are target dates.
December 2025
- CMS begins pre-bidding supplier awareness program
- Late Spring / Early Summer 2026
- CMS announces specific dates for registration and bidding
- CMS announces lead items for the DMEPOS CBP product categories and number of contracts to award for each product category
- CMS begins bidder education program
Late Summer / Early Fall 2026
- Bidder registration period to obtain user IDs and passwords begins
- Bid window opens
Late Summer / Early Fall 2027
- Contracts awarded and single payment amounts announced
- Beneficiary education begins
No later than January 1, 2028
- Start of next round — contracts and single payment amounts (SPAs) in effect
- Six-month transition period begins for beneficiaries to switch to contract suppliers
Growing OMEPA Membership Across Oklahoma
As your Executive Director, I will be making a strong push this year to increase OMEPA membership statewide—and I hope to visit your location soon. If you know a DME provider or vendor who may be interested in joining or partnering with OMEPA, please have them contact me directly:
Larry Dalton
(580) 931-6226
LDalton@OMEPAok.com
Upcoming 2026 Dates and Events
Medtrade 2026 | Phoenix, Arizona — March 2–4
OMEPA will be represented at Medtrade. Please stop by the State’s Straight Talk booth to visit with me about upcoming events and priorities at both the state and federal levels.
OMEPA Oklahoma Capitol Visit Day — Tuesday, March 31
More details will be shared soon.
OMEPA Fall Conference | Oklahoma City — October 13–14, 2026
Please begin making plans to attend our Fall Conference, held the second Tuesday of October in Oklahoma City. Additional details will be available on our website.
For updates and event information, please visit: https://omepaok.com
HME Advocacy Reset: The Bills that Need Action Now
The release of the DMEPOS/Home Health Final Rule marked a major milestone for the HME industry, closing one chapter of intense advocacy while opening another that demands immediate, coordinated action. Although legacy products were not included, the rule’s adoption of Remote Item Delivery (RID) reshapes the landscape and creates a critical moment for recalibrating our strategy.
This February, join the AAHomecare Government Relations team for a timely advocacy reset designed to refocus the industry on the legislative priorities that matter most right now. With three bipartisan bills gaining traction in Congress, your engagement is essential to protect patient access and strengthen the future of HME.
What the Session Will Cover:
- Current policy landscape after the Final Rule and what it means for 2026 advocacy
- Dive into current bipartisan legislation – Carbon Fiber/Titanium Wheelchair Access (H.R. 1703/S. 247), 75/25 Relief (H.R. 2005/S. 2951), and the SOAR Act (H.R. 2902/S. 1406). We’ll discuss why they matter, what they fix, and how they protect access for millions of Medicare beneficiaries
- Legislation in motion – Where each bill stands today, what progress has been made, bills being drafted Industry action needed nowIndustry action needed now – How suppliers, manufacturers, and HME stakeholders can help secure additional cosponsors and elevate the urgency of these bills
- This session is open to the HME industry. Get off the sidelines, arm yourself with information and get engaged in policy and advocacy for the future of your business and patients.
When:
February 9, 2026 | 2:30pm ET
Presented by AAHomecare’s Tom Ryan, President & CEO, and Jay Witter, Sr. Vice President of Public Policy
Thank you for your continued involvement and support of OMEPA. I look forward to working alongside you in 2026 as we advocate for our industry, strengthen our voice, and grow our membership across Oklahoma.
Sincerely,
Larry Dalton
Executive Director
OMEPA – Oklahoma Medical Equipment Provider’s Association
Mobile: (580) 931-6226
Email: ldalton@omepaokc.com