Medicare patients are reporting problems receiving home medical equipment and services prescribed by their physicians following the Jan. 1 implementation of the Medicare "competitive bidding" program in nine regions across the United States, according to an American Association for Homecare release.
The bidding program was implemented in nine metropolitan regions: Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas-Fort Worth, Kansas City, Miami, Orlando, Pittsburgh and Riverside, Calif. The program is scheduled to start in another 91 regions later this year.
The American Association for Homecare has logged more than 100 complaints during the program's first four weeks. Complaints have addressed the reduced number of local providers and delays in hospital discharge because of delayed equipment delivery to a patient homes.
The AAH shared a number of problems with CMS earlier in January, including companies awarded Medicare contracts that are bankrupt, have credit problems or are not licensed to provide items or services.
Read the AAH release on Medicare's competitive bidding program.
Read more on Medicare's competitive bidding program:
-Critics Question Medicare's Competitive Bidding Program, Set to Begin Saturday
-Medicare Beneficiaries in Nine Metropolitan Areas Set to Save on Medical Equipment, Supplies
The bidding program was implemented in nine metropolitan regions: Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas-Fort Worth, Kansas City, Miami, Orlando, Pittsburgh and Riverside, Calif. The program is scheduled to start in another 91 regions later this year.
The American Association for Homecare has logged more than 100 complaints during the program's first four weeks. Complaints have addressed the reduced number of local providers and delays in hospital discharge because of delayed equipment delivery to a patient homes.
The AAH shared a number of problems with CMS earlier in January, including companies awarded Medicare contracts that are bankrupt, have credit problems or are not licensed to provide items or services.
Read the AAH release on Medicare's competitive bidding program.
Read more on Medicare's competitive bidding program:
-Critics Question Medicare's Competitive Bidding Program, Set to Begin Saturday
-Medicare Beneficiaries in Nine Metropolitan Areas Set to Save on Medical Equipment, Supplies