WASHINGTON — The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held the first confirmation hearing Thursday for former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., nominated as the new secretary of HHS.
According to press reports, during the hearing Daschle discussed the urgent need to reform health care, the growing problem of the uninsured and the need for collaboration between the incoming administration and Congress in reshaping the health care system.
On a quest for fresh ideas, President-elect Obama called for Americans' help in reforming the system by hosting community discussions. Daschle attended an Indiana meeting, reported in the Washington Post, where he listened to stories, concerns and recommendations from the public.
Although in last week's hearing Daschle didn't get into specific plans for Medicare, Medicaid or SCHIP, the massive government health programs on which much of this industry depends, several HME organizations want to be sure both he and Obama's staff understand the industry's role and its views through community meetings of their own.
Moderated by Medtrade Director Kevin Gaffney and American Association for Homecare President Tyler Wilson, a Dec. 22 meeting held at Medtrade's Alpharetta, Ga., headquarters drew attendees from GF Health Products, Hometown Home Health, Merits Health Products, DME Inc., Fuller Rehab, Owen Mumford and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, among others.
In discussing how the new administration should address the HME industry's particular needs, meeting attendees said they felt the value of home medical care is underestimated by the current health care system. Home care is less expensive than inpatient care, and there is a strong patient/family preference for care at home, they pointed out. "Home care is not ancillary to health care but should be integral," according to a summary of the meeting, which was forwarded to Obama's transition team.
Collectively, attendees stated "that patient care is why they are in this business, and that their willingness to negotiate, accept reimbursement cuts and trim operating costs in the face of industry regulation speaks well of the group," the summary said. Most also reported, however, their fears of being eliminated from the health care marketplace by competitive bidding.
The National Association of Independent Medical Equipment Suppliers also held a health care reform town hall meeting on Dec. 22 that included providers, hospital staff and consumers. According to this group, key issues that need to be part of a reform plan include improving primary care access; reducing health insurance costs, waste, fraud and abuse; moving toward integrated electronic health records; and, among other things, banning direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising.
Providers attending the meeting also said they were concerned about the oxygen cap and how they will be able to survive. "None had any illusions about the problems and all felt that this is a crisis that CMS and Congress has yet to realize or understand," a NAIMES meeting summary said, adding that attendees were in agreement "that CMS and most members of Congress" are out of touch with Medicare issues.
"Congress and CMS do not understand that the equipment is the unimportant part of 'home care,'" the summary reported. "It is the 'care' that not only costs the most but is what suppliers provide that sets them apart from other sources of equipment for consumers."
Comments from its meeting will also be sent to the Obama transition team, NAIMES said.
A community health care discussion hosted by VGM, which was postponed twice due to weather, is rescheduled today in Waterloo, Iowa.
