Notable & Quotable

Rally Against the Rep Bearing signs with messages like “No Oxygen Cuts” and “Support America’s Seniors,” some 50 protestors marched outside the Bakersfield, Calif., office of Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Calif., in late January. As the author of language in the Deficit Reduction Act that caps oxygen reimbursement at 36 months and transfers equipment ownership to the beneficiary (see story, page 10), Thomas — also a leading proponent of DME competitive bidding — drew the ire of Last Chance for Patient Choice, a non-profit advocacy organization backed by The VGM Group. The rally garnered national media attention, including coverage by the NBC and ABC affiliates in Bakersfield, and was combined with TV ads (which ran 384 times during a 10-day period) and newspaper inserts. The group said more demonstrations — in the districts of congressmen throughout the country who support competitive bidding — are on the way.

91%of U.S. employee benefit specialists surveyed said controlling health care costs was among their top five priorities.
Source: Deloitte Consulting LLP, Top Five Total Rewards Priorities for 2006

“Public health is a fundamental responsibility of government, and we are going to do everything we can to help New Yorkers continue living longer lives.”
— New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaking in his 2006 State of the City Address. Bloomberg called for $100 million to create electronic health records in community clinics in the poorest neighborhoods of The Big Apple. In December, despite the protests of privacy advocates, the city said it would begin tracking personal medical data in an effort to curb dramatic increases in diabetes cases. An EHR system could automate collection of that information to identify patients who need help in controlling their disease.

24,000 The number of senior patients per every one geriatrician by 2030 if current trends continue.
Source: Jaffe Communications

32% of HMEs plan to increase sales staff in 2006.
Source: HomeCare’s 2006 Forecast Survey

71 The age at which 60% of Americans think “old” begins.
Source: MetLife Mature Market Institute/Zogby International poll

6 The number of times children covered by Medicaid are more likely to be treated for severe obesity than are children with private insurance.
Source: Thomson Medstat