NBC Roast Fuels Cries For Positive PR

NEW YORK–Like a bad penny, negative press for the HME industry
always seems to turn up–most recently, in a report for NBC by
senior investigative correspondent Lisa Myers.

The report, which aired July 26 on the “Nightly News with
Brian Williams,” had the following introduction:

“After being hammered by Congress for wasting taxpayer
money, Medicare recently moved to fix the problem. So why was its
new program to slash prices on medical supplies and save the
government hundreds of millions of dollars stopped dead in its
tracks?”

The report on the delay of competitive bidding–which included
an interview with CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems–went on to
question why Congress would delay a “Medicare savings
bill,” stated that Medicare had been “overpaying”
for home medical equipment for years and said industry lobbyists
had “spent millions” fighting the bid program.

The contentions were countered by Cara Bachenheimer, senior vice
president of government relations for Invacare, who also was
featured in the report. “Any reduction in the payment level
will have a very direct impact on the level or quality of items and
services that consumers receive,” she told Myers.

But that’s almost all she got to say. “I interviewed for
40 minutes and they took eight seconds–very frustrating,”
Bachenheimer said.

Michael Reinemer, vice president of communications and policy
for the American Association for Homecare, said the organization
was not contacted about the report, and, upon viewing the NBC
segment, he contacted the network.

“Myers insists that she did a fair and accurate
story,” Reinemer said. “I requested an opportunity to
respond or to have a follow-up segment to correct the
misconceptions but have not heard back.”

In a letter to NBC, Reinemer pointed out the report failed to
explain that the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers
Act of 2008, which delays competitive bidding, includes a 9.5
percent across-the-board reimbursement cut that will be effective
next year and also ensures providers “will forgo a CPI
reimbursement adjustment, which will, according to the
Congressional Budget Office, completely offset and possibly over
pay for the savings that the flawed bidding program would have
reaped,” he wrote.

The story also failed to account for the services involved with
HME and instead relied on the often-used quotes that pit retail
costs for equipment against reimbursement rates, Reinemer said.
“The higher price in Medicare offsets the delivery and
services tailored to the Medicare beneficiary, who is in the
cheapest care setting possible–his or her own home,” his
letter pointed out.

The NBC report is just the latest in a series of stories
unfavorable to HME that some feel have contributed to the
industry’s negative image in Washington.

“Like it or not, our industry continues to be perceived in
a very negative light on Capitol Hill,” Bachenheimer said.
“Whether it is the succession of negative and continuing
Office of Inspector General and General Accountability Office
reports, neither the source nor the validity is relevant. What does
matter is that the perception is real and pervasive.”

She also said HME needs its own public relations campaign to
highlight the industry’s positive contributions.

Industry groups have already stepped up communications efforts.
Reinemer said AAHomecare’s ongoing “Stand Up For
Homecare” campaign is making strides, contacting legislators
and the consumer media in attempts to get positive messages about
HME to the public. The group is planning its third annual
fundraiser for the campaign during Medtrade in October. But there
remains much room for progress, Reinemer said.

“We have been battling the CMS talking points on this
virtually all year now, and we’ll continue,” he said.

For information on the fundraiser, visit www.aahomecare.org.