Competitive Bidding

CMS’ release of its final rule on Medicare DMEPOS competitive bidding elicited a strong response from all sectors of the industry. A sampling of comments

By HomeCare Staff

CMS’ release of its final rule on Medicare DMEPOS competitive bidding elicited a strong response from all sectors of the industry. A sampling of comments follows.

“The best thing that could happen is for competitive bidding to be delayed a couple of years so that Congress could actually examine the plan and understand the possible repercussions of their actions on America’s seniors and disabled citizens.”
— Sandra London-Leib, CEO, Advanced Homecare, Lawrence, Kan.

“It doesn’t take a genius to realize that if you’re a Medicare beneficiary in a bid area, you are not going to get the same level of care or the same quality as someone in a non-bid area. You are forcing a Medicare beneficiary to get a lesser standard of care that nobody who is not under Medicare has to put up with.”
— Jim Walsh, general counsel, The VGM Group, Waterloo, Iowa
“If you look at what’s actually going to happen, if there are 10 to 20 winners, then 30 percent of that is only three to six small businesses … If there are only seven winners, then 30 percent of seven is two small businesses. It’s very scary.”
— Rob Brant, general manager, City Medical Services, North Miami Beach, Fla.
“There’s so much subjectiveness to this. Honestly, we could give the lowest bid and not be chosen. They are going to look at our financials and consider if we are worthy of being in the Medicare program. If CMS decides they don’t want you in the program, they can make that conclusion.”
— Gerald Sloan, Progressive Medical Equipment, Lenexa, Kan.
“This is a program that has been in the works for three years, and even today we still don’t have all the information we need yet they are still moving forward … We’re at the starting line and we have one foot on the banana peel.”
— Don Clayback, senior vice president of networks, The MED Group, Lubbock, Texas
“The time frame is very difficult for PMD suppliers who have weathered three years of reform, changes in HCPCS codes, changes in the fee schedule and now are tested again to change their business model and determine what is a competitive bidding price.”
— Eric Sokol, executive director, Power Mobility Coalition, Washington

Author

OUR DIGITAL PARTNERS

RELATED ARTICLES