SBA hearings on Medicare Audits

The Small Business
To all orthotic and prosthetic providers. 

The Small Business Administration is now interested in the audit problem and wants information from us regarding how our businesses and our patients are being affected by the audits.  We have been asked as an industry to represent the issue of how
CMS has enacted their reforms, and how it has affected us as
practitioners/patients/business owners.  Congress has asked the SBA to perform hearings into this issue.  There will be two public
forums created to investigate the issue.  One in Seattle WA, Thursday June 6 and one on
the east coast.  (sorry I am not sure where and when). These forums will include and be shared with congress, SBA and the heads of CMS.  This is finally our chance to be heard.  It should
be all hands on deck.  Everyone is invited. 
Practitioners/patients/physicians/everyone involved.  There will be a
limited number of speakers, but all can write a one page testimony on
the form included.  Yolanda Swift is the acting national ombudsman for the
SBA.  The SBA’s mission statement is to monitor and inform congress on
unfair implantation of federal reforms/policies to the private sector.  AND SHE IS COMPLETELY COMMITED TO OUR ISSUE.  In fact, she stated that she is personally committed.  We need to pack
this place.  We need to share this with anyone who is interested.  I have been asked to place this on the list serve.  This is the big one.  Attached is a form that can be filled out and sent back to SBA.  Please take the time to tell them about your experiences. 

Here are some suggestions: 
Identify yourself and your business; don’t forget to spell out the acronyms you might use in your text, like:  P&O, ABC, RAC, BOC etc.; after the first use, you can then use the acronyms
again.  Don’t forget to add a few  personal instances how this has
affected your business or has caused you a financial constraint or loses
of revenue.
 
                Attached is a blank Federal Agency Comment Form for you to use.  The
form is pdf fillable, meaning that you can complete the form directly
from your computer and also you can cut and paste from a word document.  Remember, if there is someone
else that would like to submit a comment/complaint about this same
issue, go ahead and share the form with them and if their situation is
somewhat different than yours, you can have them call me to see if we can have him/her testify at the same time.  Call
or e-mail Jose Mendez at SBA if you have any questions.
 
José Méndez
Case Management Specialist
Office of the National Ombudsman
(202) 205-6178 (voice)
(202) 481-2707 (fax)
[email protected]
 

Karl W. Entenmann, CPO
Preferred O and P
Federal Way, WA