Action from Congress Needed

Over two months have passed since Medicare cut funding for home medical equipment by upwards of 50-80 percent. The funding cut, implemented on July 1, has sent a shockwave across the country,severely impacting people with disabilities and chronic conditions who rely on home medical equipment. The stories below have been collected by People for Quality Care, each highlighting individualswhose ability to access vital home medical equipment and serviceshave been limited as consequence of these drastic reductions.

Senior struggles to findhome medical equipment supplier within 200 miles

Jueldia Smith lives in rural Montana and requires enteral supplies (tube feeding) to get her nutrients. When she went in to get her supplies, she was told she’d have to pay $500/month out of pocket because her home medical equipment supplier couldn’t afford to take assignment once Medicare’s July 1 rate cuts took effect.

After calling Medicare’s 800 number and using the Supplier Directory online; Jueldia couldn’t find a supplier in over 200 miles that could serve her.

As last ditch effort, Jueldia and her daughter, Bonnie, contacted People for Quality Care, who reached out to all industry allies trying to find help.  Through great efforts and resources not available to the average beneficiary, People for Quality Care was able to connect herwith a medical equipment supplier who said they’d be able to help.

Had it not been for extraordinary resources and personal connections, she would have been paying $500 per month for enteral and soon not been able to afford to continue getting it.

The Medicare system is flawed and stripping rural America of access to vital home medical equipment. Without access to her enteral supplies, she would have been hospitalized or worse.

It may take weeks to receive equipment

Patients in Indiana have also felt the impact of the cuts, specifically in the timeliness of getting their equipment.

“We are hearing from a lot of patients in the Columbus, Indiana area that it is taking longer to get oxygen, or in some cases CPAP or BiPAP.  Patients are getting diagnosed as needing equipment, but it may take 2-3 weeks to receive it,” saidJennifer Nulph, Registered Respiratory Therapist and Licensed Practical Nurse at Lung Institute at Columbus Regional Hospital.

“The HME companies are struggling; they have had to let people go.  But the policy is the problem.  I’ve encouraged the patients to complain, but they won’t.  They are used to their delivery tech and become concerned that this is the person who will get in trouble.”

Patients will have nowhere to go if rural provider closes their doors

If action is not taken, few companies will be left to take patients, as illustrated in the story below.

“Hansen's Homecare in Ketchikan is one of the few home medical equipment companies in Alaska. The closest HME supplier is in Seattle (600 miles south)or Anchorage, over 1,600 miles away. Because of Medicare’s funding cuts, HME suppliers in Juneau (297 miles away) and Wrangell, Alaska (104 miles away) have already closed their doors,” says Neal Hansenof Hansen’s Homecare.

Medicare’s cuts have forced Hansen’s Homecare to limit their service area. 

“The only way to reach Ketchikan is by boat or to fly. The cost of getting supplies to Ketchikan, along with all of the cuts from Medicare, has made it impossible to continue service to the outlining areas. We only have 29 miles of highway from north to south, but when we cover the outlining area, we must take the ferry which is $382.00 round trip plus you must stay overnight in order to get back,” explains Hansen.

The number of patients the homecare company is able to serve has also decreased.

“At this time, we are not taking on new patients unless they pay up front for services. And we are in the process of eliminating some of our patients we have had for years.”

If Hansen’s Homecare closes their doors, patients will have two options.“If I close the doors, they have no place to go except the hospital which is at capacity most of the time, and the cost to Medicare will increase by 2000%. The other option is to move south.”

This could happen here in North Dakota also if something is not done to get the Government to help us all out. Granted HME companies are hurting because of Medicare and the pain is going to hit not only the elderly who have paid into Medicare their whole working life but also to those who are on disability. So Please contact your Senators and Congressman.

If immediate action is not taken, the hardships experienced by Medicare beneficiaries like Jueldia will continue. To advocate for preserved access to medical equipment, call the Washington D.C. switchboard at 1-202-224-3121 and send a letter to your legislator asking for immediate legislative relief. Visit People for Quality Care to learn more and to send a letter to Congress about this important issue. 

 

Press Release

Contact: Rodney Askay 

PH: 701-567-6098                              

E-Mail:rodneya@wrhs.com