It is always easy to sit back and watch how things seem to work themselves out. But when they do not work out in your favor, you have a tendency to become upset. Lethargy is when you wait for someone else to do things (that you should do). This may be a lack of energy or just plain apathy and you should never allow that to happen. You have a business to protect.
Every HME company is very important. Each has a loyal following of customers and family caregivers, many of whom have become friends, and it is for these that you must participate in all the efforts to change the many new regulations that CMS has or will try to make the law.
When I read the local newspapers, the NY Times and the Wall Street Journal, one thing becomes crystal clear. Too many senior citizens and others do not understand the new health plan. To be sure, I, too, after studying it as much as possible am not aware what it will really accomplish. I am fully cognizant that the competitive bid is neither fair nor even ethical.
As an industry we have to support all efforts to get the proposed legislation (HR 3790) passed. To bring that about you have to rally all your customers, staff and friends to write and call our senators and representatives.
Get everyone involved and shake off the lethargy and start working together. If we do, we can accomplish many things. Share with me any successes you have had.
SHELLY SOUNDS OFF: Advice. Solutions. Practical Ways to Improve your Business by HME Expert and Medtrade Ambassador.
Maybe we need to ask why providers DO NOT lobby their Congress persons. Do they think lobbying is a waste of time, that it will get no reaction/action? Ask those providers who have been able to get sponsors for HR3790 if they think lobbying is worth the effort. Those providers took action and saw results. Why doesn't every provider think this way?
ReplyDeleteShelly, You only have 10 years on me. this is my 50 year, in the Health Care business. You and I have spent a lot of time together, however never has this industry seen the turmoil and regulation that has been thrown at us. No business man in his right mind would want to start a career in this environment. Not you or I would ever have envisioned a time that has been full of wasted effort due to rules and regulation that CMS has failed to clearify it regulations on many of its procedure codes and has used the vague responses to vilify the industry. No where in any world of business does a third party have to read between the line to get paid. Congress can write rules after the fact and get away with making up the rules later. Now our industry has to continue to live under an cloud of confusion from CMS as to how and when and how much we can do without the threat of legal devastation. No one from the government run system could possibly win a paycheck for on week having to jump thru hopes like our industry does. Asking for us to be responsible for doctors writing proper patient notes to follow ups that require massive investment dollars just to take on an oxygen patient and for what to get 36 months of a the worst reimbursement then follow up with little or no payment for the next 24 months. This is ludicrous. Our industry needs some leaders that do not live in Washinton D.C. They also need to learn how to lead and not follow. This has been the problem for many years we have bargained away our right to serve and do it with respect and deserving care. No longer do we live in a competitive world. We need to let Congress set a price we do not care where they set it and have one rule the doctor write the script the patient goes to the provider the provider makes a decision as to what they want to charge and tells the patient medicare pays so much we charge this much and guess what that id where to real competition begins. No more rules that we cannot charge the difference to the patient.Now if Congress wants to make rules then stipulate them clearly and no changes can be made ever without our industry having the last say. This stops the chance that congress gets to buy more votes with benefits it cannot pay for. Shelly I am glad your still kicking Vince
ReplyDeleteI would just like to echo that its not just seniors who do not understand the new health care bill. I am not entirely sure what is going to happen. Although, I did get dropped from my insurance about 2 weeks ago because I had a "pre-existing" condition. It was freaking unbelievable. Because I had a literal 2 day lapse while I switched health insurance, my current provider is able to simply drop services. That is pretty messed up. I am also concerned about my grandpa who needs Portable Oxygen. Will the new health care legislation preclude him from filing a claim with medicade?
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