What should have been done what should be done part 2

So the government ( Medicare ) has been playing with these rates for years. The 6 point plan in the mid 80s, the balanced budget amendment in the late 90s were signals to the industry that were largely ignored. After the bba in 97 I put together a meeting of my regional association where he got to meet and speak with the industry. There was no Rotech, Lincare, Homedco/Apria representation at this meeting. They were too busy collecting checks I guess. So getting your elected officials to understand you can't survive on the rates is a little hard but the drug companie and the hospitals and doctors sure find a way to avoid cuts so damaging that they lose money on every patient. They just say ( through their lobbying organization they will quit providing to Medicare. Can you imagine how much saving would be in competitive bidding if drug companies were forced to do it? But no every hme provider thought they would get richer if they won their bids, which btw mean you don't get a contract that awards you for the best price but you just get to participate as you were before. You still have to pay a sales staff so what the heck was the advantage to get a contract? More coming.

 

Fond Memories:

http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2005/ucm076025.htm

 

FDA Warning letter just like that was issued to many hme companies doing compounding that did not have the proper pharmacy set - up. Usually the the pharmacy that was providing ( selling ) the hme was doing the compounding but the hme was billing for it. Some hmes actually did do their own compounding but the fed just saw a lot of hme companies making too much money. It has zero effect on the bigger picture but just another way the fed and Medicare prevented industry groeth in favor of other health care market segments.

 

I don't recall ANY other dme companies getting this letter.
You must be Mr. Carter.
Hi.