Jim Greatorex

I write this to challenge, inspire everyone to rise up and speak to their elected officials. We have about 1 year left to affect change to competitive bidding and all related legislation. After that, it will be too late.

According to financial expert Wallace Weeks, if competitive bidding legislation is enacted as proposed, there will be approximately 4,300 fewer DME providers than there are now by the year 2009. Five major providers will control 40% of the business, and profits from Medicare revenue will be down 28%. This is our industry?s Armageddon. If you have been putting off involvement until the wrecking ball is in place, that time is now.

What Can Be Done?
First, join your state association. If your company is not a member of a state association, why not? A state association will organize your efforts as well as keep you up to date on industry happenings. We have Bill HR 3559 out there waiting for sponsors, and all it takes is for you to get an organized effort through your state association, visit your legislator together with your competitor, and ask for help. This bill is a somewhat easy sell, in that it is vanilla legislation that is budget neutral and pro-motes fairness for the small supplier.

In Maine, we have been talking to our legislators for about 18 months through our state association NEMED (New England Medical Equipment Dealers Association), and when eight to 12 companies showed up at our Congressman’s office to ask for his support, he gave it right away. Unfortunately, besides New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, some Mid-Atlantic states, and us, there are no other cosponsors. That means that all HME dealers west of the Mississippi River are doing nothing regarding this bill. I don’t understand it. Come on, California, Texas, Florida (the Medicare Capital of the United States), and get out there—or a lot of you will be looking for another line of work.

The next thing we need to do is write a check to join the national association. Now, I have not agreed with everything that the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) or the National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology (NCART) has done, but we need them to be as strong as possible. At NEMED, we have made it our policy to publicly encourage all respiratory, DME, and infusion providers to join AAHomecare, and all rehabilitation providers to join NCART. We have asked suppliers to include a letter with their checks to the national association expressing disappointment that at a critical time we have two associations sending mixed messages to Washington. NCART and AAHomecare need to work as one for the industry.

At NEMED we have had much success when we work as one, and in many instances have had some positive effect on a state Medicaid system. I believe in Tom Ryan and Rita Hostak, and I do not know why we have two associations for one small industry—but we all should be able to put aside personal agendas or personality conflicts and come together for the overall good. DP

Jim Greatorex is president of NEMED, New Bedford, Mass. He is also president of Black Bear Medical, Portland, Me. Greatorex can be reached via e-mail: jimg@blackbea-rmedical.com.