NAIMES Grassroots Action Tree Definition

The depiction of the NAIMES grassroots tree shows graphically how NAIMES fits into the DME industry effort to change public policy.

The outline of the tree canopy represents the Capitol Beltway.  At the center of this is the Congress with 435 House and 100 Senate members. Inside the beltway with the lawmakers are the Washington based groups whose jobs are to interact with Congress and government agencies to promote the best interest of DME suppliers.  NAIMES is not in this arena but works with AAHomecare and other stakeholders to enhance the message to Congress.

The trunk of the tree represents the message pipeline to Washington from the roots of the tree.  At ground level are the hundreds of district offices of members of Congress.

Below ground level are the thousands of DME suppliers who serve millions of patients.  The suppliers and patients are the grassroots power of the industry.  Bringing suppliers together below ground level are the 30 state and regional associations who serve and are the education and motivation resource for their members.

At the very bottom of the root system is NAIMES, the catalyst and cultivator of passion.  NAIMES is the partner of associations and suppliers to develop relationships with each legislator.  NAIMES is actively recruiting at least one passionate and proactive supplier in each Congressional district to serve as the industry link with that legislator.

The question that must be asked is “Does You Congressman Know You?”  We know who the lawmakers are but do they know us?  By developing relationships, we will be able to establish that recognition. NAIMES is the encouragement and push to get suppliers motivated and politically involved.  When we can effectively deliver our message to all 535 members of Congress at home, we will have created the network we need to insure change to public policy.

By delivering our message at the district level, our legislators will take that message to Washington where it will be reinforced by AAHomecare and others inside the beltway lobbyists. We believe that with an effective team of suppliers, state associations, and national associations we can do things that up to now were impossible, namely prove the value and need for homecare, prove that we are honest, hardworking people, and prove that we can play a valued role in solving the high cost of healthcare.