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Some members of Congress have asked providers lobbying against
competitive bidding what
Medicare beneficiaries think about the program.
OK, here's what a few of them have to say.
From Milwaukee, Wis.: "I am calling to let you know that I am
totally against the competitive bidding [law] that's been enacted.
And I resent it because I will lose my freedom to choose my own
medical equipment, my quality of service will be affected, and I
just wanted you to know that I would like to see this law
abolished."
From Cameron, Texas: "This competitive bidding on a medical
supply company is for the birds. I've chosen this company to take
care of me … and they check on me regularly that the oxygen
machine is running perfectly. And I don't want to change."
From San Diego, Calif.: "I use a wheelchair to get around, I use
medical equipment in my house to lift me out of the wheelchair and
get me into bed and I don't want cheaper medical equipment. I want
to depend on the suppliers that I have now that carry quality
medical equipment. So this competitive bidding is a bad idea. I
need good quality medical equipment, and I don't think going
cheaper is going to make any good sense."
From Cleveland, Tenn.: "I'm a senior citizen but my husband and
I still pay income tax and I would like it to be recorded that we
are against this competitive bidding … We get good service
from a smaller durable medical equipment company, and listening to
the president, I noticed he said the small businessman is the
answer to these problems that we've got. We need to shore them up
and help them. This looks to me like it's trying to go into
something to put them out of business … and I'm definitely
against it and my husband is, too."
From Pilot Grove, Mo.: "I am an 85-year-old senior citizen, and
I want to let you know how unhappy I am with this new law. It will
affect my physical and mental health very much. I have oxygen tanks
and other machines, and I need a close provider to help me when I
need them."
From Ponte Vedra, Fla.: "I take care of my mother … She is
83 years old and totally dependent. She's on a feeding tube, in
diapers, can't walk, can't swallow. End stages of dementia. I take
care of her at home and I depend on small companies to assist me
with their [durable] medical equipment and the service, so I am
very much against the competitive bidding that has been allowed
… I firmly believe that it's an important thing to take care
of it at home because she was in a nursing home for two days and it
was absolutely, absolutely horrible … It's really, really
important to be able to get the services that I need."
From Covington, Ky.: "I just wanted to voice my opinion on this
competitive bidding. I think it really stinks, especially for
people like myself who get their oxygen through the company that's
right here in my area and people that can work on my equipment.
It's just ridiculous to think that I would have to go all the way
somewhere else to get something like that, and I think you should
think about the older people that cannot do that."
From Hartford, Conn.: "I'm calling to complain about this
Medicare competitive bidding. I'm working with a small company. I
have sleep apnea and they are wonderful, courteous, timely and
effective, and I really, really don't want to lose that to
competitive bidding. Please, please do something about it. Thank
you."
These comments from home care patients and caregivers across the
country are excerpts from phone calls about competitive bidding. I
listened to them recently on the Center for Regulatory
Effectiveness Web site (www.thecre.com/Forum/), where
they are recorded along with a couple of hundred others.
I hope you'll take the time to listen, too, and that you'll
share these messages with your legislators — and then, of
course, ask for their support of H.R. 3790 and a companion bill in
the Senate to repeal the bidding program.
View more competitive bidding
stories.
