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New Medicare Harms to Home Health: Saving Dollars, But Costing Lives?
http://www.aapsonline.org/index.php/site/article/new_medicare_harms_to_home_health_saving_dollars_but_costing_lives/ ^ | Apr 27, 2014 | Elizabeth Lee Vliet, M.D

Posted on 05/03/2014 10:59:48 AM PDT by grumpygresh

Obamacare has made drastic changes in Medicare procedures for obtaining durable medical equipment (DME) for home health services. Most patients will not be aware of the hidden new rules until they are hit with higher costs or denial of services or needed supplies.

Medicare's new rules cut prices by 45 percent below the current fee schedule, on average, and 72 percent below current rates for diabetic supplies. What reputable business can survive a 45 percent or 72 percent cut in revenue?

When patients' home health services are cut, the hardest hit are patients with chronic lung disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and similar medical problems who then will need hospital admission to stabilize life-threatening situations.

Medicare patients are not legally allowed to pay cash out of pocket for needed “covered” services if they see a Medicare-contracted physician.

(Excerpt) Read more at aapsonline.org ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aca; medicare; obamacare
The sh** is hitting the fan for Medicare patients now! The Medicare cuts to providers will force many to opt out or stop providing the service to Medicare patients.

Those that remain in Medicare will be forced to provide substandard products and services or provide "uncovered" services (patient pays) as a way to stay in business.

1 posted on 05/03/2014 10:59:48 AM PDT by grumpygresh
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To: grumpygresh

My daughter just left home based care because the pay rate has gotten so ridiculous.

But hey it is all okay because isn’t then end goal to make sure that people DIE???


2 posted on 05/03/2014 11:10:33 AM PDT by Nifster
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To: grumpygresh

Coming in the near future, I’ve heard Medicare will pay for only ONE ER visit per month for CHF patients. People are going to die because of this.


3 posted on 05/03/2014 11:11:17 AM PDT by Qiviut (Obama: A Caesar at home & a Chamberlain abroad, dividing the country & uniting the world against us.)
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To: grumpygresh

Medicare has been stingy with diabetic testing supplies for some time. For me it will only pay for enough test strips for one test per day. I need to test at every meal (3-4 times per day). Plus I had to provide my log of each test result. I finally gave up with Medicare and now get my supplies through Amazon. I pay out of pocket, but I don’t have to deal with Medicare.


4 posted on 05/03/2014 11:14:14 AM PDT by fatnotlazy
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To: Qiviut

And the “death panel” doesn’t even have to come to an individual determination. Just a blanket declaration, and - Voila! - they drop like flies.

Move along, folks, nothing to see here....


5 posted on 05/03/2014 11:18:04 AM PDT by alloysteel (Selective and willful ignorance spells doom, to both victim and perpetrator - mostly the perp.)
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To: grumpygresh

Wonder if and when these elderly people or their stupid lib ‘children ‘ will connect this mess with AARP who sung the praises of Obamacare


6 posted on 05/03/2014 11:19:27 AM PDT by autumnraine
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To: alloysteel

I have an aunt who is currently battling CHF with fluid buildup fairly regularly on her lungs. Her home health nurse told her to go to the ER anyway or she’ll die .... if she can’t pay, the hospital will have to eat it. Great healthcare system we’ve got here after Obama mucked it up, no? Just wait ‘til the Libs/Dems (or their loved ones) start dying and then the screaming will start ... not all are “exempt” or rich enough to be in that upper tier, unlike the middle class/poor.


7 posted on 05/03/2014 11:30:55 AM PDT by Qiviut (Obama: A Caesar at home & a Chamberlain abroad, dividing the country & uniting the world against us.)
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To: autumnraine
I have a rare terminal lung disease, and am on Medicare Home Hospice. I have excellent care. The only out of pocket funds is my monthly Medicare premium, all supplies, including 02, any meds and a team of caregivers. AARP or Obamacare have nothing to do with my health needs. I will let my daughter who has never voted for a liberal in her life know how you feel.
8 posted on 05/03/2014 12:36:23 PM PDT by Coldwater Creek
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To: grumpygresh

spreading the wealth is more like stretching it thin.


9 posted on 05/03/2014 1:32:24 PM PDT by huldah1776
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To: huldah1776

Like butter scraped over too much bread.


10 posted on 05/03/2014 1:35:11 PM PDT by MUDDOG
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To: grumpygresh

So what’s the point here? Socialized medicine isn’t socialized enough?


11 posted on 05/03/2014 1:54:30 PM PDT by Wolfie
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To: Wolfie

Medicare is failing because it, like all socialist utopian systems, it promised too much for too long. The problem now is that too many people depend on Medicare, and the program cannot be eliminated all at once without causing substantial destabilization of the healthcare system and the economy. This is the same problem confronted by the drug addict; the withdrawal could kill him.
I believe that we need to adhere to federalism; let states decide on and fund healthcare as determined by the citizens of each state. Meanwhile, we need some type of transitional system to replace Medicare which could include vouchers for commercial insurance, menu pricing to encourage competition, and allowing Medicare patients to engage in private contracting with Medicare providers if they want enhanced services.


12 posted on 05/03/2014 2:12:37 PM PDT by grumpygresh (Democrats delenda est. New US economy: Fascism on top, Socialism on the bottom.)
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To: MUDDOG

You want a real eye-opener? If you only go once and then close your acct, see the VA facebook page. Just reading it is overwhelming and depressing. The VA times for being seen or when the death panels reject a patient is so much like the wait/rejection in Canada or Great Britain. Socialized medicine Does Not Work.

https://www.facebook.com/VeteransMTC


13 posted on 05/03/2014 2:44:41 PM PDT by huldah1776
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To: Coldwater Creek

Well I apologize for insulting you.


14 posted on 05/03/2014 5:56:53 PM PDT by autumnraine
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