Industry Circulates ‘Stop NCB’ Petition
Petition direction at several key government bodies up to 7,500 signatures.
- By David Kopf
- Feb 20, 2012
Using Twitter, Facebook and email, the industry started circulating a “Stop Competitive Bidding” online petition last week that is directed at the Senate, House of Representatives and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as well as signers’ state governors, state Houses and Senates. So far, the petition has garnered 7,500 of its targeted 10,000 signatures.
The petition, found at http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-competitive-bidding, is aimed not just at home medical equipment industry members, but patients and other stakeholders in the homecare continuum, as well.
The petition letter reads as follows:
I am writing to request your support in putting a stop to the Competitive Bidding Program for Medicare that will cost thousands of jobs and access to quality care, equipment, and services to people with disabilities. The program is fatally flawed and encourages “suicide bidding,” using economic coercion by forcing providers to submit unsustainable bids necessary to win a contract.
The competitive bidding program sacrifices care for seniors and people with disabilities by restricting access and choice for HME items and services. It has triggered a race to the bottom in terms of quality with less expensive items being provided to patients. With a loss of providers, expedient deliveries of items and services will be eliminated and Medicare costs will increase.
The bidding program is not cost-effective and is not a solution for health care. In fact, it will increase Medicare costs. The program disrupts the continuum and coordination of care between doctors, discharge planners, patients, and HME providers.
Please stop this flawed program so people can maintain their right to choose who delivers their health care and retain access to quality products and services.
Signers of the petition website can share their reasons why they signed the petition. Some compelling comments:
“I strongly believe that DME Competitive Bidding is flawed and will compromise the service and healthcare of beneficiaries.”
“This flawed program is destroying an industry that can save Medicare dollars compared with costly hospital stays.”
“I want to keep my right to choose!”
“This is unfair, will eliminate thousands of small businesses, and not provide proper medical service.“
About the Author
David Kopf is the Editor of HME Business.