Hundreds of Patients and Providers Report Problems with the Program
PORTLAND, Maine, May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Maine home medical equipment and services (HME) providers support H.R. 1041, a bipartisan bill in Congress to repeal the controversial Medicare "competitive" bidding program for home medical equipment and services.
"If competitive bidding is not repealed, both Maine businesses and Medicare patients will suffer. Despite its misleading name, the design of this program actually limits competition and access to homecare products and services. Four critical suppliers have already closed their doors due to cuts and increased regulation, and the program has yet to be implemented in Maine," said Jim Greatorex, President of Black Bear Medical, Inc. in Portland. "We cannot sit by idly and wait for patients to experience potentially life-threatening problems before we stop this runaway train. We need to sound the alarm now and tell Congress to implement H.R. 1041 to ensure that the health of our seniors and those living with disabilities is not put at risk."
The bidding program affects millions of Medicare beneficiaries nationwide who require oxygen therapy, enteral nutrients (tube feeding), continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) and respiratory assistive devices, power wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds and support surfaces, and mail-order diabetic supplies. The program was implemented on January 1 in nine metropolitan areas and it begins in an additional 91 areas later this year. The first nine areas are Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas-Fort Worth, Kansas City, Miami, Orlando, Pittsburgh, and Riverside, California.
The bill to repeal the bidding program, H.R. 1041, has 98 cosponsors so far in the House of Representatives with broad support from both Republicans and Democrats, including Rep. Michael Michaud (D-Me.).
CONSUMER GROUPS, MARKET EXPERTS ALSO BACK REPEAL OF BID PROGRAM
A number of patient advocacy and consumer groups also support H.R. 1041 including the ALS Association, the Brain Injury Association of America, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the International Ventilator Users Network, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Emphysema and COPD Association, the National Council on Independent Living, the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, and United Spinal Association, among others.
The legislation to repeal the bidding program was introduced after hundreds of patients and providers reported problems with the program since its January 1 implementation. By design, the bidding program severely restricts the number of companies that are allowed to provide the equipment and services subject to bidding. Since the bidding program began on January 1, patients, clinicians, and homecare providers have reported:
Ultimately, the experts told Congress, the bid design provides "strong incentives to distort bids away from [actual] costs," and lacks transparency, which is "unacceptable in a government auction and is in sharp contrast to well-run government auctions." The experts' letters conclude, "This collection of problems suggests that the program over time may degenerate into a 'race to the bottom' in which suppliers become increasingly unreliable, product and service quality deteriorates, and supply shortages become common. Contract enforcement would become increasingly difficult and fraud and abuse would grow… Implementation of the current design will result in a failed government program."
The New England Medical Equipment Dealers Association is the regional trade association representing providers of home medical equipment and supplies, home oxygen therapy and respiratory equipment, custom wheelchairs and assistive technology, and home infusion therapy in the six New England states. Approximately 80% of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries receive their home medical equipment and related services from a NEMED member. Visit www.nemed.org.
The American Association for Homecare represents durable medical equipment providers, manufacturers, and other organizations in the homecare community. Members serve the medical needs of millions of Americans who require oxygen equipment and therapy, mobility assistive technologies, medical supplies, inhalation drug therapy, home infusion, and other medical equipment and services in their homes. The Association's members operate more than 3,000 homecare locations in all 50 states. Visit www.aahomecare.org/athome.
SOURCE New England Medical Equipment Dealers Association
PORTLAND, Maine, May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Maine home medical equipment and services (HME) providers support H.R. 1041, a bipartisan bill in Congress to repeal the controversial Medicare "competitive" bidding program for home medical equipment and services.
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"If competitive bidding is not repealed, both Maine businesses and Medicare patients will suffer. Despite its misleading name, the design of this program actually limits competition and access to homecare products and services. Four critical suppliers have already closed their doors due to cuts and increased regulation, and the program has yet to be implemented in Maine," said Jim Greatorex, President of Black Bear Medical, Inc. in Portland. "We cannot sit by idly and wait for patients to experience potentially life-threatening problems before we stop this runaway train. We need to sound the alarm now and tell Congress to implement H.R. 1041 to ensure that the health of our seniors and those living with disabilities is not put at risk."
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The bidding program affects millions of Medicare beneficiaries nationwide who require oxygen therapy, enteral nutrients (tube feeding), continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) and respiratory assistive devices, power wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds and support surfaces, and mail-order diabetic supplies. The program was implemented on January 1 in nine metropolitan areas and it begins in an additional 91 areas later this year. The first nine areas are Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas-Fort Worth, Kansas City, Miami, Orlando, Pittsburgh, and Riverside, California.
The bill to repeal the bidding program, H.R. 1041, has 98 cosponsors so far in the House of Representatives with broad support from both Republicans and Democrats, including Rep. Michael Michaud (D-Me.).
CONSUMER GROUPS, MARKET EXPERTS ALSO BACK REPEAL OF BID PROGRAM
A number of patient advocacy and consumer groups also support H.R. 1041 including the ALS Association, the Brain Injury Association of America, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the International Ventilator Users Network, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Emphysema and COPD Association, the National Council on Independent Living, the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, and United Spinal Association, among others.
The legislation to repeal the bidding program was introduced after hundreds of patients and providers reported problems with the program since its January 1 implementation. By design, the bidding program severely restricts the number of companies that are allowed to provide the equipment and services subject to bidding. Since the bidding program began on January 1, patients, clinicians, and homecare providers have reported:
- Difficulty finding a local equipment or service provider;
- Delays in obtaining medically-required equipment and services;
- Longer than necessary hospital stays due to trouble discharging patients to home-based care;
- Far fewer choices for patients when selecting equipment or providers;
- Reduced quality; and
- Confusing or incorrect information provided by Medicare.
- Medicare awarded contracts to companies that are bankrupt.
- Medicare awarded contracts to companies that are not licensed to provide the specific medical items or services.
- Medicare awarded contracts to companies with serious credit problems.
- Medicare distributed incorrect information about the contract winners.
Ultimately, the experts told Congress, the bid design provides "strong incentives to distort bids away from [actual] costs," and lacks transparency, which is "unacceptable in a government auction and is in sharp contrast to well-run government auctions." The experts' letters conclude, "This collection of problems suggests that the program over time may degenerate into a 'race to the bottom' in which suppliers become increasingly unreliable, product and service quality deteriorates, and supply shortages become common. Contract enforcement would become increasingly difficult and fraud and abuse would grow… Implementation of the current design will result in a failed government program."
The New England Medical Equipment Dealers Association is the regional trade association representing providers of home medical equipment and supplies, home oxygen therapy and respiratory equipment, custom wheelchairs and assistive technology, and home infusion therapy in the six New England states. Approximately 80% of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries receive their home medical equipment and related services from a NEMED member. Visit www.nemed.org.
The American Association for Homecare represents durable medical equipment providers, manufacturers, and other organizations in the homecare community. Members serve the medical needs of millions of Americans who require oxygen equipment and therapy, mobility assistive technologies, medical supplies, inhalation drug therapy, home infusion, and other medical equipment and services in their homes. The Association's members operate more than 3,000 homecare locations in all 50 states. Visit www.aahomecare.org/athome.
SOURCE New England Medical Equipment Dealers Association
