NAIMES Petition Tops 5,000 Signatures

HALIFAX, Va.–In late February, the National Association of
Independent Medical Equipment Suppliers introduced an online
petition to stop competitive bidding.

Today, the petition has more than 5,100 signatures.

“The response has been great,” cheered NAIMES
Chairman Wayne Sale, president of Health First in Richmond, Va.,
adding the organization will continue to send reports from the
petition site to state HME associations.

The group hopes the signatures, gathered from every corner of
the country, will show Congress that competitive bidding will
result in job losses, higher overall costs and diminished
services.

One signer from Florida summed up the problems with competitive
bidding this way: “Competitive bidding profoundly affects how
patients will receive in-home medical equipment and supplies. The
entire process is short-sighted and poorly thought out. No money
will be saved in the end, but many, many citizens will suffer and
perhaps die as a result of the poor level of services and equipment
they will receive.”

Wayne Stanfield, NAIMES president, said many of the petition’s
signers have expressed similar “heartfelt and powerful”
concerns. “We feel that this type of response will be helpful
when presented to members of Congress from their own constituents
at home,” he said.

Here is a sample of comments from the petition, which has been
signed by beneficiaries, providers, therapists and others connected
to HME:

“I am in the second round of bidding and am very
worried about the future of my company. We are celebrating our
fifth year in business and hope that it will not be [the] last. My
company is very small (less than a million in gross annual sales),
and if I don’t win this bid, we won’t survive … I have
currently incurred a lot of expense with getting our ATS and
accredited. I believe that at this point we should see how many
companies comply with those requirements first. We know people who
cheat the system will always find a way to cheat. People who are
hardworking always end up paying for those who cheat. Can’t we find
a way to save the honest, hardworking companies? I have sacrificed
so much just to build my business and now I may not even be able to
continue it because of the bidding.”

“I am [a] physical therapist. Competition for the DME
business creates quality service, not price-fixing. Medicare
consumers should have a choice like anyone else. It’s the choice
that keeps suppliers doing what’s best for the client. My
experience has been that the small to medium-size companies provide
the best service and equipment. They are local people taking care
of people from their own community … Save the local
suppliers.”

“This is a terrible waste! If we, as citizens cannot
choose our own personal companies, that will be close to our homes
to help us … then what good are our machines? I have sleep
apnea, my husband is diabetic. If it wasn’t for the closeness of
our health care providers, we would have to wait days before we got
our testing supplies and longer if my [biPAP] machine stopped
working … The added bonus is that we talk face to face with
the health care professional! Not from a phone or
recording!”

“Competitive bidding is anything but competitive. Reducing
the number of providers does nothing but make the marketplace less
competitive. Medicare beneficiaries will now have fewer suppliers
to choose from. Some beneficiaries will be stuck with out-of-town
providers. Do you think they will be driving 30 miles with gas
above $3 a gallon to help Mrs. Smith with her broken equipment? Not
until they have three or four other stops in her area. Competitive
bidding is exactly what the government spent millions of dollars
fighting Microsoft from having–an unfair advantage in the
marketplace. It is okay to set new standards, i.e., accreditation.
It is okay to set new allowables. But why not let those qualified
to provide DME decide for themselves whether or not they want to
provide at the set allowables?”

“Small businesses provide more new jobs than any other,
yet this competitive bidding legislation places small businesses at
a distinct competitive disadvantage. Small businesses offer
personalized, individual care for patients that normally is not
available at large department stores whose volume purchasing
capability places small businesses at still another competitive
bidding disadvantage. This legislation is bad legislation and
contrary to the genuine needs of post-mastectomy patients. I urge
it be repealed.”

“Most of our customers choose to do business with us.
Competitive bidding will take that option away. CMS is only
considering the amount of money they spend, not the level of
service beneficiaries receive. I have worked hard for 13 years to
establish a positive reputation with our local medical community.
The stated goal of competitive bidding was to eliminate 35-40
percent of the small HME companies. I have eight employees. Will
you come to my place of business and tell them that they no longer
have a job?”

“The disabled need choices and help. This takes away both.
Shame on you all.”

NAIMES will continue taking signatures indefinitely. The
petition is available through www.dmehelp.org.