Barbara Bishov
Competitive Bidding is the wrong term for the program that CMS has and still is proposing. It is more of an auction for the lowest bidder, who may not be a qualified provider of the equipment they are bidding on. This does not save money, nor does it give the patient the freedom of choice that Medicare has always demanded. CMS has not proven that they have eliminated the issues that Congress demanded and are going ahead with a program that that is inadequate.
I was involved in a focus study group a number of years ago which was a precursor to competitive bidding. It was sponsored by CMS with supposedly “independent” people leading it. There were approximately 20 providers of DME there. All of us asked the same question: Is this a way of weeding out small suppliers?
At that time we all knew what was coming. I don’t understand how the administrative costs of running the Competitive Bidding program is justified. Are the savings of competitive bidding subtracted from those costs? We have never been told what they are.
Please give the elderly a choice of where to get their equipment! Please give small business like ours a chance to stay in business.
The economy is bad. Companies closing and people losing their jobs does not seem like it will help!
Will the Congressmen and Senators choose this program when they reach 65? Or, will they stay with the “cozy” FHP program?
