Letter from the President and Executive Director: 

Thank you for your interest in the North Carolina Association for Medical Equipment Services.
Our nearly 300 member companies from across our great state represent the finest qualities in
customer care, civic involvement and running small and medium-sized businesses which
contribute to our regional economy. We certainly appreciate each and every one of them for the
contributions they make to our industry and the communities we call home.

As North Carolina’s leader in medical equipment advocacy and education, NCAMES is
dedicated to educating our member companies, civic leaders, patients, and the public about the
need to protect access to home medical equipment (HME).

Approximately eight million Americans require some type of medical care in the home such as
medical oxygen, wheelchairs, hospital beds, diabetic supplies, infusion therapy, inhalation drugs,
and other medically required equipment, services and supplies. As of 2008 there are over 1.6
million North Carolinians over the age of 60, a number that is expected to reach nearly 3 million
by 2029. This population boom – in addition to the influx of new residents utilizing our state’s
numerous high-quality health care institutions for elective and emergency surgery – will lead to
an increased need for access to HME for therapeutic recovery and long-term care to avoid more
expensive, longer hospital stays.

NCAMES believes that economic development and pro-patient access legislation such as H.R.
3790 -- newly proposed legislation which is quickly garnering support from North Carolina’s
congressional delegation in Washington, D.C. -- is needed now to ensure individuals and
families in our state can get the safe, affordable, quality HME they need and deserve.

Over the coming weeks and months, we will be vigilant in spreading the word and building
coalitions with community leaders, economic development organizations, the health care
community, civic organizations, member businesses and politicians to create jobs and preserve
patient access to quality care. If you have any questions about NCAMES or home health care,
please do not hesitate to contact us via the email addresses below.

Thank you for your interest and support.

Marcia Ladd, President

mladd@triangleaftercare.org

Beth Bowen, Executive Director

Beth@ncames.org