What If There Were No Medicare?

Can you contemplate what would happen to our business if suddenly the government decided to cancel Medicare? I brought this topic up at a recent meeting and was told, “It can’t happen here.” But I suspect it could.

When I see the size of the deficit our government has, the great number of dollars being utilized for our war effort, the tremendous rising of costs for health care and all the other drains on the dollar, I wonder what the Medicare of the future will be.

There will always be some form of Medicare, but the restraints that will be in place and continuing reduced reimbursements could make it difficult for HME providers to depend on this government program for much of their revenues. So, as I have said time and again, it is time to seek out other avenues of income.

What are you doing to change the direction of your company? What are the new disciplines you are expanding into? Are you ready to take on the future — any future?

November 2, 2004

I know that date, 11/2/04, is several months away, but it is time to begin thinking about Election Day. Seems to me that the candidates have been campaigning forever on many issues that could affect the HME business. I would like every one of you to start studying what each is saying.

The same as most Americans, I belong to a party. I don’t know why, since I have never voted a straight party ticket. I have always listened to the candidates, and have supported those who recognize the importance of our industry and what we do. I send requests for positions and information to the different candidates for any office, and then I study their responses. Often, I get none! That influences my vote.

As an HME provider, you have tremendous clout and should use it to your advantage. If any politician shows his support for DME and related issues, give that person your cooperation. As you speak with your customers, you can tell them why you favor one candidate rather than the other. This can develop into an effective grassroots effort, and could sway an election in your community.

Become active, work to protect your business, our industry and, most important, our country.

Summer Doldrums

As the temperature rises, the level of running a company seems to lower. Ambition and ideas appear to grind to a halt, and business settles into a laissez faire mode, continuing as is without direction.

But, times are changing. As I mentioned, we do not know what might happen to Medicare. Nor do we know who will become our next president and what the next Congress will or will not do to affect business. Will hostilities cease? Will we enter into an era of growth and expansion? No one knows.

So use this time when things are somewhat quiet (unless your company is in a resort area) to start making plans. Get your promotions prepared and devise a new strategy for business growth. Then you will succeed, but nothing will happen unless you make it happen.

Sit down with all your employees and involve them in structuring your new approach. Your employees may come up with good ideas that could enhance your sales.

One provider told me his driver’s good idea: He suggested to the owner that the drivers carry a list of popular over-the-counter items. When the drivers make a delivery, they hand the list to the family caregiver or nurse. This results in some orders coming back with the drivers or the company’s being called within the next day or two when these customers recognize a need. Try it.

Sheldon “Shelly” Prial is based in Melbourne, Fla., with Prial Consulting and also serves as the director of government relations for Atlanta-based Graham-Field Health Products. In 1987, he founded the Homecare Providers Co-Op, now part of The VGM Group. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 321/255-3885.