HME claims in Round 1 areas plunge
By HME News Staff
Updated Wed January 18, 2012
WASHINGTON - Claims for home medical equipment in Round 1 competitive bidding areas plunged by as much as 82% in 2011, according to data obtained by Prof. Peter Cramton.
That suggests Medicare beneficiaries in Round 1 are having access issues, according to AAHomecare, which released the numbers in its weekly newsletter.
Cramton, a vocal critic of the program, obtained Medicare claims data through a Freedom of Information Act request. Comparing annualized 2011 claims data to 2010 claims data, he found that HME subject to bidding in Round 1 areas fell by the following percentages:
complex rehab: -82.1%
CPAP devices: -63.7%
diabetes supplies: -74.1%
enteral nutrition: -65%
hospital beds: -63.7%
oxygen: -61.7%
standard power: -81.5%
support surfaces: -73.8%
walkers: -71.5%
Cramton plans to issue a more detailed analysis soon, according to AAHomecare.
Industry stakeholders, including AAHomecare, have begun alerting lawmakers to these findings.
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