We only have a very short period of time, a very short walk to the slaughter
house, yet we sit by as we have always done idly and continue to allow this
to happen To our profession, and to the patients we serve. Yes I am talking
about the new PROPOSED changes to the LCD¹s, the guideline which CMS first,
and then every other insurance company in the country will follow. Let¹s
look at this, If Congress woman Tammy Duckworth, a combat veteran who lost
both lower extremities was covered by Medicare, which she will be someday,
uses a cane to ambulate she would not qualify for the components she
currently has and needs. ACA the largest amputee advocate group has the
largest list of amputees in the country, yet they stand idly by and do
nothing to head this change off, instead of being proactive by using their
power to voice their disgust . By changing the LCD the way they are
proposed, it will devastate our industry, as it will be devastating to
70%-80 % of the patients we serve.
Don¹t you think we as practitioners and business people have insulated our
patient population long enough? Haven¹t we given them components in the past
where the cost has been coming out of our pockets? It is time to have them
stand up for themselves with our support. There is only one way to stop this
from passing, because if it does pass, you hold some level of
responsibility for sitting by and not being proactive. Here is what you can
do NOW! Designate one person in your office for 1 day to call every
amputee you have ever seen in your office,. Inform them on what is about to
happen to their benefits thru medicare, and for those not yet covered by
medicare, private insurance will follow, as they always do when they see
the money being save thru denial of services and components. If a patient
uses a cane periodically they will not qualify for any advanced components.
Don¹t misunderstand I am not advocating they are all K-3¹s, but all of the
ones who are will loose.
There is only a couple of weeks left for patients to call the news papers,
Congressmen & women, Senators, State Representatives, any political figure
who will listen. No political figure wants to have on there record , they
are against helping the disabled, war veteran who are now covered by the VA,
but will in the future bee covered by medicare. Tell them they must call
today if we want to get this delayed for more discussion. It would help if
you had local political figures office numbers available for them to copy
down.
Do it today or don¹t complain!
Jan A. Saunders, CPO, LPO
