Sacramento, Calif.
The California Association of Medical Product Suppliers (CAMPS)
has filed for legal injunction to stop Medicaid reimbursement cuts
imposed as part of the state budget.
That budget, passed in July 2003 by then-governor Gray Davis,
calls for Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, to pay no more
than 80 percent of the Medicare allowable for listed DME, excluding
listed wheelchairs and accessories, which are reimbursed at an
amount not exceeding 100 percent of the Medicare allowable for
California. Unlisted, non-wheelchair items are reimbursed at 20
percent off the manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP).
Unlisted wheelchair parts and accessories are reimbursed at a
tiered discount off MSRP, based on the total cost of the chair, up
to 20 percent. The unlisted wheelchair parts and accessory code
reductions were put in place Jan. 1, while the other cuts were
implemented last year.
According to the legal complaint CAMPS filed June 20, “by
imposing the rate reductions, California has failed to consider the
costs of the supplies and services involved or whether the rate
reductions will have an impact on the ability of Medi-Cal
beneficiaries to have adequate access to necessary DME and related
services.”
When passing the state budget, “nobody determined that 80
percent of the Medicare [allowable] was reasonable; we never saw an
analysis,” said CAMPS Executive Director Bob Achermann,
explaining that DME providers have significant costs associated
with equipment delivery, set-up and maintenance. Providers now
“must rethink how they do business, [including] pickup and
delivery,” he said. “The repair component has been hit
especially hard [since the cuts were implemented],” Achermann
continued. “Some dealers are only servicing the equipment
they sold. When you provide a custom wheelchair, a lot of fine
tuning and adjustment goes on.”
At press time, the state had not filed an answer to the
complaint, but Achermann said he expects “substantial
movement or resolution” of the issue within 90 days.
For breaking news, go to www.homecaremonday.com, the electronic news service
of the home medical equipment industry.
