Urgent! Deadline 8/27

[LaurieCALS]

Here is the response I received from Florida Senator Bill Nelson:
(I edited out my name.)


Dear Dr. S:

Thank you for contacting me regarding Medicare coverage of speech generating devices (SGDs). I understand your concerns about the recent change. Individuals who suffer from some of the most serious medical conditions rely on SGDs to function in their daily lives.

Medicare Part B covers SGDs as durable medical equipment (DME) that your doctor prescribes for use in your home. Recent studies from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office have shown Medicare’s current DME fee schedule payments were outdated and too high. Unfortunately, taxpayers and Medicare beneficiaries bear the burden of paying these inflated costs.

That is why on April 1, 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) changed how it pays for SGDs by implementing “capped rental.” Under this new program, Medicare patients who need SGDs will be required to rent them over a 13-month period, after which time they will own the device. Previously, the devices were purchased up front.

Be assured, I am acutely aware of the concerns from the health care community about these changes. This policy change should not impede access to these devices, but I will be closely monitoring this issue. As Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, I am committed to ensuring individuals on Medicare get the medical care they need. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue, and I will continue to work with my colleagues to improve our health care system. Please do not hesitate to contact me again.

Sincerely,
Bill Nelson

P.S. From time to time, I compile electronic news briefs highlighting key issues and hot topics of particular importance to Floridians. If you'd like to receive these e-briefs, visit my Web site and sign up for them at Subscribe to our newsletter | U.S. Senator Bill Nelson

He didn't mention anything about not being able to bring the SGD to a nursing home. My understanding was that you needed to have been issued everything you need before entering a nursing home on Medicaid, bipap, wheelchair, SGD, etc, but that you could bring those things with you.

Laurie

 

[MaxEidswick]

fyi:

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200 Members of Congress Sign SGD Letter!

Dear Max,

Thank you to everyone who contacted their Members of Congress to urge them to sign onto the SGD Dear Colleague letter. You have made a huge difference! We are excited to tell you that 200 Senators and Representatives signed onto the letter! And at about 3pm today, it was sent to CMS Administrator Tavenner.

Our goal is to ensure people with ALS have access to the SGDs they need and this letter is a significant step towards accomplishing that goal. It sends a powerful message to CMS that they cannot take these technologies away from people with ALS -- those who need it the most.

The ALS Association applauds every Member of Congress who has joined this fight. We also want to especially thank Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Erik Paulsen (R-MN) and John Tierney (D-MA) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) who led the Dear Colleague letter and are championing our cause on Capitol Hill.

If your Representative and Senators signed the SGD letter, please take a few minutes to thank them. The names of those Members who signed the letter are here and a sample letter is available on our website. If you do not know the names of your Representative and Senators, you can identify them by entering your zip code on our website here.

While this letter sends a powerful message to CMS, the fight is not over so please keep an eye out for additional action alerts and updates. In the meantime, thank you to everyone for reaching out to Congress. They heard you loud and clear!