Survey highlights broken Medicare system
By HME News Staff
Updated Thu September 28, 2017
WASHINGTON - More than three-quarters of case managers have experienced difficulties with the discharge of patients who need home medical equipment, according to the preliminary results of a new survey from AAHomecare.
“I have been a therapist since 1991 and have never been so unable to do my job,” said one case manager. “This Medicare system is broken beyond repair.”
AAHomecare announced in July it was working with Dobson DaVanzo & Associations, a healthcare research group,to gauge the impact of competitive bidding. Survey respondents include 428 beneficiaries, 358 case managers/discharge planners and 255 HME providers from across the country.
More than half of beneficiaries (52.1%) reported experiencing difficulty with access to HME and services. More specifically, 59% of oxygen patients reported access issues.
“Fed up with trying to get a supplier in the area, paid out-of-pocket cash,” said one beneficiary.
While the study is being finalized, AAHomecare has been using preliminary results in meetings with regulators and on Capitol Hill to push for bid reform.
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