Monday, April 11, 2011

BUFFALO, N.Y.—Draft legislation to establish complex rehab technology as a separate Medicare benefit is winding its way to the table, but a crucial financial score is yet to come as stakeholders continue to lay the groundwork with members of Congress.

To strengthen the push for support, the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester is conducting a survey to collect key data on CRT providers’ financial performance and operating expenses. The National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology sponsored a similar industry survey in 2008, but that relied on 2007 results.

Much has changed since then, including the Medicare 9.5 percent reduction plus additional cuts at the state and private insurer levels. More current financial information is necessary to show legislators what’s going on with CRT providers’ “high operating costs and low profits,” said NCART Executive Director Don Clayback.

“As we share the challenges that CRT providers are facing, it’s helpful when we can share data that has been independently gathered,” Clayback said. “CRT advocates will be able to use the results of the survey in their discussions with payers and policymakers on federal, state and private levels.”

In the future, he said NCART plans on making this an annual survey “so we can track and report on CRT industry trends and key business indicators each year” that providers can use both for advocacy and business management.

The 14-question survey is open to all CRT providers across the country, and worksheets are available to help with answers. Survey responses are due by May 6, 2011.

NCART will hold a webinar on Friday, April 15, at 3 p.m. ET, to review the survey and answer providers’ questions. The webinar is open to all interested parties, and advance registration is not required. Attend the webinar at www2.gotomeeting.com/join/806289499 or dial in at 773/945-1018. Use meeting ID 806-289-499.

Providers and other advocates at the CELA conference in February began the Capitol Hill drive for creation of the CRT benefit.

“There is lot going on in DC, but we are staying in the fray,” Clayback said. “The need for a separate benefit category is gaining consumer and clinician support. We have engaged a Washington, D.C., research firm to prepare an estimate of the financial scoring of the proposed legislation, and we expect that report by the end of the month. Once we have that, we will be following up with targeted congressional offices to get a bill introduced.”

Clayback pointed out that the private firm charged with estimating the cost of the draft legislation is using a Congressional Budget Office model, so the results should prove illuminating.

“We will share our estimated scoring with the members of Congress that are considering introducing the legislation,” explained Clayback. “The next step will be when the member of Congress sends a formal request to the CBO asking for an official scoring of the legislation.”

In the event of an unfavorable score, Clayback said, the goal of the legislation will remain but different tactics may come into play.

“Changes from this legislation will have some cost,” he said. “But out of this will come significant improvements to access for Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities along with stronger program safeguards. Our plan is to work with potential congressional sponsors and other supporters to address the cost issue and identify potential offsets [if necessary] that can be allocated to this legislation.”

For more information on the survey, contact Clayback at dclayback@ncart.us or Sandesh Gannavaram, survey administrator, at the Simon School of Business at sandesh.gannavaram@simon.rochester.edu.