American Association for Homecare Recommends Needed Improvements to Medicare Competitive Bidding Program, Set to Be...( Service Disruptions for Seniors L...),Health

Service Disruptions for Seniors Looms in Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Kansas City, Miami, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Riverside, Calif., and San Juan, P.R.

ARLINGTON, Va., June 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Association for Homecare recommends a delay to the Medicare competitive bidding program for home medical equipment in order to improve the program and prevent disruptions in the continuity of care for seniors and people with disabilities. Beginning July 1, 2008, the bidding program will affect Medicare patients who use home medical equipment and services such as oxygen therapy, hospital beds, and power wheelchairs. The Association can provide background material and updates on the following topics:

-- How seniors and people with disabilities in Medicare are at risk for disruptions in care, fewer services, and limited access to care once competitive bidding is implemented July 1, 2008.

-- Bi-partisan congressional efforts to delay and improve implementation of the program so needed fixes can be incorporated into the program.

-- Examples of the procedural flaws and operational problems that call into question the fairness of the overall process and the Association's recently filed lawsuit seeking a delay of the bidding program.

-- Effects of the bidding program on homecare providers in the 10 target markets.

To view details and list of consumer and disability organizations that favor changes to the program, visit the American Association for Homecare on the web at http://www.aahomecare.org.

The American Association for Homecare has argued that the proposals to delay the bidding program in order to make needed improvements will be good for Medicare patients, providers, and American taxpayers. Specifically:

-- Taxpayers will recoup all of the savings that the flawed bidding program would have reaped if it had been immediate
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