Health Care Bill (part three)

Lowest common denominator! It appears that the government, rather than looking for a way to improve the services available for Medicare recipients, is looking for the cheapest way out. When the fees for supplies were first announced they were based on the best quality equipment available. A walker was reimbursed originally as if the patient received a Lumex, an Invacare unit or an equal. But, unfortunately too many dealers found that they could provide a cheap offshore knock-off and still receive the same fee. Why? There are no standards!

Now there will be more and more competitive bidding programs all through the market. Every Medicare patient will now receive the very bottom of the barrel products, the lowest common denominator. This is wrong. American citizens deserve better.

With a competitive bid there should have very strict standards and a floating schedule of fees. If the provider provides a cheaper unit, they should receive a lower reimbursement. We owe it to the country to not allow Medicare fall to the lbottom of the barrel.

You have to join the battle to put an end to some of the ludicrous proposals. If you are not a member of your state DME association or a national association, you must become one. They are fighting to protect you and unless you are on board with them they will not be able to succeed. Get on the bandwagon and fight against Medicare becoming the “lowest common denominator.”