Medicare beneficiaries express alarm over competitive bidding

Twenty-one Philadelphia-area Medicare beneficiaries sent a letter to Pennsylvania’s two senators last week expressing fear of competitive bidding arriving in Round 2 of the Medicare program.

Sent to Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., the letter was the product of a recent Town Hall Teleconference call hosted by VGM Group’s Last Chance for Patient Choice, People for Quality Care and the Pennsylvania Association of Medical Suppliers. The 21 beneficiaries learned about competitive bidding during the teleconference.

The letter lists three areas of concern: the importance of receiving timely service, preserving access to local providers and protecting the choice of quality equipment and provider that best serve a beneficiary. The letter is available for viewing on the People for Quality Care website.