March-ing On

Competitive Bidding Complaint Hotline
888/990-0499

U.S. Capitol Switchboard
202/224-3121

National competitive bidding may have started, but the industry hasn’t stopped its efforts to get the program repealed.

The American Association for Homecare and numerous other industry associations are urging Medicare beneficiaries, family members, caregivers, hospital discharge planners and clinicians to report problems, concerns and feedback about the bidding system by calling toll-free to 888/990-0499. Feedback on the bidding system can also be logged at www.biddingfeedback.com or www.competitivebiddingconcerns.com.

The associations intend to use the data in aggregate to document the consequences of the bidding program, which was implemented January 1 in nine metropolitan areas across the country: Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas-Fort Worth, Kansas City, Miami, Orlando, Pittsburgh and Riverside, Calif. It affects products including oxygen, enteral nutrients, CPAP and respiratory assistive devices, power wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds and support surfaces and mail-order diabetic supplies.

Last month, AAHomecare reported the following complaints among several hundred that had been logged on the toll-free hotline:

• A CPAP user in Orlando could not find the right supplies from the reduced number of local providers contracted under the bidding system. “I was finally able to find a supplier for my CPAP but they’re in Tennessee. I don’t like that the local people were cut out. In our area, there are very few suppliers to choose from.”
• An HME provider in Kansas City noted that hospital discharge planners were sending patients only to providers that won contracts for multiple categories under the bidding system, effectively excluding companies that only won contracts for one or two service categories.
• A patient in the Charlotte area was required to stay in the hospital for several extra days because of a delay in delivery of oxygen equipment to the patient’s home.
• A director of case management at a Dallas hospital said the bidding program has caused problems with coordination of equipment and services. “Medicare is making it more difficult to provide services to people in need.”
• An occupational therapist in Kansas City expressed concern that the choices for her clients are limited. “I would like to have access to a company that I feel meets my patients’ needs and has already met the needs of previous clients and residents.”
• A referral coordinator for a pulmonologist practice in Miami said a provider that won the bid for CPAP equipment was not providing the recommended masks that their patients are comfortable with, and she feared that less comfortable masks would reduce patients’ compliance with treatments and therapy.

It’s also important for every member of Congress to hear concerns about competitive bidding. Whether you are in Round 1, Round 2 or neither, the bidding program will affect your home medical equipment business. If you think the program should be repealed, tell your senators and representatives so. For direct connection to their Washington offices, call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202/224-3121.

View more competitive bidding stories.