Colleagues and Guests:
Our office was told yesterday by Humana that Medicare will require all Medicare recipients to join a managed care (or perhaps an advantage) program that will be effective in 2011. In other words, traditional fee for service Medicare options will no longer be on the table for Medicare recipients. Humana is trying to negotiate contracts now that will include this coming regulation. According to the information that we received, the rates, in the case of Humana, will be 25% below Medicare allowables. I’m not quite sure how they can call this a “negotiated” contract, but that’s what they say. Has the time come where the field of orthotics and prosthetics needs to take a consolidated “boycott” stand against such insanity and tyranny? Or, are we simply going to sit still and watch our profession disappear in front of our eyes? It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the cost of providing our services is nearly at a break-even point, unless of course you happen to b!
e one of the crooks. And if that’s the strategy for survival, I believe you’ll have a hell of a time getting past one of the new “Medicare Auditor Czars” that will likely be paying a visit to your office. When will we come to our senses and take a united stand?
Has anyone else heard anything about this? Thanks for your reply.
Wil Haines, CPO
MaxCare Bionics
Avon, IN
