Don't be left out in the cold
By Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
Updated Fri January 31, 2014
It's official. The winter doldrums have set in. The anticipation of the holidays has been replaced by blackened snow and brown and tattered wreaths hanging neglected.
I can't get out of my own way to do much of anything. Did I pack my motivation away with the Christmas decorations?
I can't help but worry that a similar fatigue has set in for HME providers. That's because the deadline to register for the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals forum got extended (it ends today). That made me wonder if they weren't seeing the sign-ups they expected.
And, Carolyn Cole from VGM this afternoon emailed me a press release touting the importance of participating.
“The forum will be loaded with hospital and pharmacy representation. We want to make sure we're there too, to represent DME as an important part of the audit discussions,” said John Gallagher in the release.
To be sure, VGM is doing its darndest to get people fired up to attend the forum and also hit the hill next day to talk to lawmakers. I am quite confident that a dedicated few will indeed, make the effort.
That's not to say that the vast majority of providers don't care, but simply don't have the time, the inclination or the resources.
But with audits eclipsing competitive bidding as the issue du jour, I hope a few more people get out there and speak up.
The iron is hot.
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