HR 4920

There are so many things happening in such a rapid fashion that will affect our industry. To survive these changes, every dealer must become involved. I have spoken about AAHomecare’s need to raise additional funds, and I hope you all responded. I also asked that you build teams to work together with them and your state DME association! Together we will make this happen. Together we will maintain and protect out industry.

 

The Introduction of HR 4920: the Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Improvement Act of 2014

There is one more battle that we (every DME dealer) must win! All the efforts of AAHomecare, the state DME associations, VGM, MED, and “you” have just received a major opportunity to change the existing Competitive Bidding Program. Yes, we have not succeeded as yet, but we have to get this accomplished now!
 

We will not get another opportunity to change the Competitive Bidding Program. Our industry has fallen short twice to get a bill through Congress. Contact every congressman in your state. If they had agreed to support you in the past, thank them, and please ask them to come on board once again. We have to reach each and every congressman, and with the help of your staff and clientele, we will succeed.

AAHomecare appears to be working 24 hours a day, same as all our state DME associations. All of these combined efforts are not just to protect our business. We have a huge number of senior citizens who depend on us. Then there are all our patients, customers, and their family care-givers who depend on our services.

Yes, it is right now, there will be no tomorrow. Congress will be on holiday again in a few days. Call, write, work with AAHomecare, support your state association, and send your contribution to AAH. Get involved, because I hate to think about the alternative!

Henry Kissinger said, “The absence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously.”

Call your Representative today to request they cosponsor HR 4920, the Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Improvement Act of 2014. The number for the Capitol Switchboard is (202) 224-3121. 

HME Audit Key

AAHomecare has launched a new program, which they call the “HME AUDIT KEY”. They are following the lead of the American Hospital Association (AHA). It is in place as a RACTRAC survey tool.

In these first two weeks, the AAHomecare Executive Committee and Board of Directors, along with VGM and MED, have already collected $43,500. AAH has contacted Provider Consulting Systems, the one AHA has signed on with.

Try to imagine how an audit by CMS would affect your company. There are so many ways that CMS (Medicare) is seeking to reduce fraud and abuse and save them many dollars. Fraudulent billing is committed by dishonest companies, organized by thieves who stay active until caught and then they disappear. The problem is that all the hard working companies, run by honest, diligent families and their employees are the ones who get hurt.

How would you, an independent DME dealer, respond to an audit?

 

Tom Ryan, president and CEO of AAHomecare

The time necessary and the cost to fight this alone would be prohibitive. All the pro-bono services your clientele has come to expect no longer means anything! What would this prove? How will you face your employees, their families and all your customers and tell them you are forced to close your doors? This will not happen if and when you become involved. Your support and complete cooperation with AAH will help you maintain your company. Don’t wait until it is too late!

We can no longer sit and watch. We have to back up AAHomecare by becoming a dues paying members now! If you wait too long, you may find your company forced to close.
We do not have any time to respond, this is already happening! We have to follow the lead that AAHomecare has set in place. YOU HAVE NO CHOICE, EVERY DME/HME DEALER MUST SUPPORT AAHomecare. THEY MUST RAISE $250,000 STAT! YOU MUST SUPPORT THEM SO AS NOT TO FACE SOME VERY DIRE CONSEQUENCES.

The Next Step to Save our Profession

There has been a great deal of talk about these two programs, Medicare and Social Security. They may become bankrupt! Is that possible?

Yes, it is very likely to happen if we sit by idly and not lift a finger to bring about some needed changes. One of the great things about our country is that as a democracy, we “the people” can accomplish a great deal when we act in unison.  Since our industry, depends a great deal on these programs, we must gather our resources and then move forward, not sit back and wait for someone else to react.

In the September Issue of “HomeCare Magazine” I wrote “Time for Teamwork” and spoke about the importance of our State DME and National Associations.   At the Medtrade Exposition in Atlanta I saw each DME Association hard at work to bring together a tidal wave of support. Every association was working with one another on behalf, of not only their members, but also for our industry.

The first thing I became aware of is that the Medicare Trust Fund is sufficiently funded to last until year 2024.  At that time, if no changes were made Medicare would be able to pay only 87% of expenses. So we see that there are just about a dozen years to correct that shortfall. Social Security has a different life span; it can provide benefits until year 2037.

Dr. Tom Price speaking at Power for Funding

What can we do now? It is imperative that we all work together as a team to bring about a new approach to resolve these difficulties.

One of our tasks is to get the MPP legislation passed. This will allow a great deal of relief to all DME/HME dealers and rid the industry of the offensive competitive bid. I was able to meet Representative Tom Price at Medtrade. It is reassuring to know that many of our elected legislators are recognizing what he has introduced.  I was just one of many attendees at Medtrade who were able to have that privilege. Getting this bill through Congress must be high on our list of projects. The State and National associations are leading the way to get through Congress. Please give them your support.

Fraud and abuse is the major enemy we have to eliminate from the system. When we see published in the newspapers how many dollars they suck out of the system, the solution becomes very apparent. If we can clean out this abuse, there would be sufficient money for Medicare. We must give 100% support to our associations to get this accomplished. Get on board now. Your future depends on their efforts so they can obtain the results you require to save our business.

AA Homecare President, Tyler Wilson, at the Stand Up for Homecare Reception

There are very specific goals that our industry must achieve. I commented on the two must important, MPP and fraud & abuse. However you cannot do that alone, but you, as a DME/HME provider can make great strides forward when combining your efforts with others. I am sure you applaud the work of AAHomecare, NAIMES and the state DME Associations. They get much good work accomplished, but they can do a great deal more. That is where you come in.

If you are not a dues-paying member of these professional organizations, please become one now. They need you and then they will help maintain your company, but you must help them with your participation (both financial and working with them). If you are currently a member, and then by all means help them by soliciting your friends and competitors to also get on board. If we can get membership as close to 100% as possible, we will see much more completed to protect us and our clientele.

Always keep in mind the many patients, senior citizens and customers who keep your company solvent. They are a very powerful ally to keep DME/HME locations running efficiently.

They depend on your ability to keep them in good health and they will rally to support your efforts. I spoke with an active dealer at Medtrade. He uses the e–mail to keep his customers apprised of what is happening that might affect them. He offers a few specials and he shares good health ideas every few weeks. He told me that after each release he gets requests from others to receive his messages.  (Look for an affordable and simple e-mail marketing program like Constant Contact.)

You, too, can do the same. Your clientele can become supporters for the MPP. They will help us get rid of the yoke of the competitive bid and become active partners working with you to eliminate fraud and abuse.

It is amazing how much you, an active HME/DME provider can accomplish when working in tandem with you clientele and your national and state associations. In the many years I have been writing similar articles, speaking at many association meetings and listening to the feedback one thing has become crystal clear.  Everyone of your can be a leader.  I ask that each DME/HME provider gather together your customers, their family caregivers and then as a team will make a difference. That is what has made the United States of America such a fantastic country. It has always listened to VOX POPULI (Voice of the People) and by providing the facts and guidance, we will benefit!

The Supreme Court Decision 2012

The Supreme Court Decision

Thursday, June 28, 2012, 11:35 AM, and my phone started to ring. The Supreme Court of the United States, with a 5-4 vote, has said that the health care legislation is not in violation of the Constitution. We have all been waiting to hear what they believe and they have spoken.

Please do NOT make any mistakes, which can cause you to lose customers. The politicians are going to scream in dismay or say thank you. You should not do either.

Study the legislation to learn how it can affect your company that is only as far as you should go!  Every market is different; don’t give any positive or negative comments.  When someone asks for an opinion, please state simply that you are waiting to see how it will work. Taking a side will be very detrimental.

Listen to your clientele, thank them for their thoughts, but never state how you feel. This is not the time to take sides!

What do you say?

A few dealers have contacted me to ask what they should tell their customers about the Competitive Bid Proposal. I have told them that a conversation with their customers and their family caregivers can be a vital step, which you can take to defeat the bid proposal. It is imperative you get all your patients, family caregivers, and customers to contact their elected officials in DC to help defeat the “bid”. 

The best answer I can think of is to ask them if they would like to have a physician assigned to them to provide medical care that was the “lowest bidder?” The answer invariably is “of course not.” But this is what would happen if this legislation were passed to obtain their supplies.

Where CMS had the trial runs the problems were vast and the complaints rather caustic. Many patients were forced to travel a long distance for their supplies. They did not receive the personal touch and comfort that they were used to with their current provider. They really had little choice! Family caregivers no longer had a friend who worked with their relative. That is a big deal for the patient’s comfort.

Then there is much difficulty for the patient to get service, not a delivery or pick-up but also where to get repairs, ask questions and have their minds put at ease. Often patients had to go to more than one provider because many items were not available in a single location.

When working with your state and national association all of these can be avoided. They will give you the necessary tools! They will provide you with the answers. They will tell you which senator or representative to call. You will get the guidance necessary. As a result of good team effort, the Competitive Bid Proposal would disappear.

Check out this great video from The People for Quality Care that sums it up pretty nice...  Your customers deserve better!

The Customer: Your Biggest Asset!

The goal of my blogs are directed to help DME/HME dealers build excellent operations. The changing markets, new regulations, frightening decreases in remuneration, are all hanging over every dealer’s head. Success in this hectic market will continue and the key to that is to maintain current customers and at the same time find new ones.

How does a customer view your company? No matter how much great service you may provide, the only instance that will always be remembered is the one where things went awry. No company is perfect! However with correct training and appearance you will always earn an excellent score from your clients.

Foremost, of course, is good customer service. A cheerful greeting on the phone when answered is a must. A friendly hello when anyone enters into your showroom is imperative. I hear jokes about Wal-Mart where every customer is greeted as they enter. Why joke about that? Each of your employees can easily give a friendly “hello” when people enter.

At your staff meetings always remind your employees they are all “goodwill ambassadors” for the company. Spend some time at each meeting to talk about addressing customers and building relations by superb service. You are in the health care business, so a simple “how do you feel today?” usually will suffice. Let your customer realize that you care!

Another key piece to customer service is appearance. Is your showroom brightly lit? Many older clients do not have strong vision so please accommodate them. Are all products on display clearly marked with the price? Don't assume that if someone is unsure of the price they'll ask. They might move on, and you might lose a sale!

I recall sitting in a seminar at Medtrade where the speaker’s opened words were “WHAT IS YOUR BEST ASSET?” Then before anyone could answer, he said “YOUR CUSTOMER!” Never forget that your customer is the one single asset that must be maintained.

Medtrade Spring Excitement!

I got very excited this morning. I made my reservation for a hotel room in Las Vegas. Thelma and I will be able to attend the Spring Medtrade Exhibition in Las Vegas (April 11 and 12) and we look forward to a few fantastic days.

I believe that I have attended every Medtrade Exhibition since its inception and yet the excitement of seeing all my friends, meeting new ones, attending seminars and visiting exhibitors still turns me on. Nothing can match this!

This year, more than ever before, our industry is under attack. DME/HME dealers and providers are an easy target for politicians. We have to learn how better to work together, share expenses and deliver our message.

Because of chicanery on the part of a few dishonest individuals and companies, padding of bills for Medicare and Medicaid, and politicians are using it as fodder. They say when elected they will be able to redo the programs. But they never do, they only talk! Just say how. 

Our task is to make sure the general public, our customers, clientele, family caregivers and friends to join forces and deliver the message that DME/HME dealers are not culprits. The reimbursements they receive for supplies and equipment never covers all that is provided, including service. This service which is provided pro bono is the one thing that must be told! Making the trip to Las Vegas is the best opportunity to protect your company!

Attending gets me very excited, especially when the dealers and vendors I meet at Medtrade share with me their ideas. The future of our industry, in particular this year since Congress will probably be changed in November. It is so imperative to get involved.

At Medtrade you will obtain all the tools you will need to speak with both customers and politicians. The state associations will be there, the national associations will be there, vendors and manufacturers will be there and so must you!

The speakers will all be primed to see that when you return home you will be ready to get your employees, customers, family caregivers, friends and associates ready to do battle Get excited and register to attend (April 11-12).

For more information on Medtrade Spring conference and exhibition visit the website here:

http://www.medtrade.com/medtrade-spring/

And don't forget to "Like" the Medtrade Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/medtrade

Is There No End?

It seems that everyday in the newspapers we find reports of more and more fraud and abuse in the health care system. Yet since I know many dealers and providers, and communicate with their state and national associations, I will make the following statement: “Fraud and abuse does NOT come from providers, but from outside sources who take advantage of an antiquated system designed for reimbursement.”

The system is at fault, not the dealers or providers. According to an article this week (Associated Press) in 2011 the Feds found $4.1 BILLION dollars in health care fraud. That sounds like a great deal of money, but the next paragraph said that they estimated anywhere from 60 to 90 billion dollars a year was being siphoned out of the system.

The average DME/HME dealers are the hardest working proprietors who operate their companies honestly. They are not the culprits. They give away more service and care Pro Bono than any other industry. So what can be done to stop this thievery?

The first thing that has to be accomplished is that every dealer or provider has to earn a license. We have made great progress in that direction and now must go one step further. Accreditation is a fantastic step forward and those dealers who meet and maintain these standards are to be recognized.

It appears that fraud and abuse has become such a major “industry” with developing networks that operate for a few years, milk many dollars, and when uncovered they disappear. Many new “Jack, the Crook” operations are popping up. Why not? When Jack the Crook is discovered selling narcotics he goes to jail, but when he is caught stealing from Medicare, he closes his business and re-opens the next day with a different name. That being the case, the first step has to be earning a license to provide health care supplies, one which can be revoked or suspended.

Is there no end to fraud and abuse? We have to be diligent. We have to work with our state DME associations and support the national associations. At Medtrade this Spring, in Las Vegas, you can speak to all of them and sign on to fight for survival and keep out all the “Jack the Crook” operations.